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It took all of the last two weeks for OU to bounce back.

The Sooners have picked up verbal commitments from three blue-chippers in wide receivers Josh Jarboe and Jameel Owens and defensive tackle Stacy McGee as well as a pair of three-star junior-college defenders.

Now, the Sooners have arguably as good a recruiting class as anyone in the country with commitments from seven of the nation's top 100 prospects.

Only Ohio State has more top-100 recruits with eight.

OU's overall recruiting ranking (eighth in Rivals, sixth in ESPN) is lower than deserving because the Sooners' total commitment numbers are down — the second lowest number (19) of any school in the top 10.

That all could change.

Because of surprising early NFL Draft defections coming last week from linebacker Curtis Lofton and cornerback Reggie Smith along with receiver Malcolm Kelly, OU unexpectedly has three more scholarships to offer and roughly five remaining overall.

The Sooners are hoping to snag a commitment from Julio Jones, the top wide receiver in the nation out of Foley, Ala., who is also considering Alabama, Florida, Florida State and Texas Tech.

Jones is expected to visit Norman this weekend and OU will try to sell him on the impressive recent hiring of wide receivers coach and co-offensive coordinator Jay Norvell, who once coached Indianapolis Colts wideout Marvin Harrison.

Jones is probably the lone offensive prospect the Sooners are still strongly considering, at least at the skill positions.

With Lofton and Smith leaving, most of OU's recruiting attention has shifted to the positions of linebacker and defensive back.

Sunday, the Sooners got instant help with commitments from junior-college linebacker Mike Balogun (Scranton, Pa.) and junior-college defensive back David Sims (Oroville, Calif.) according to SoonerScoop.com.

OU will also hope to land junior-college linebacker J.R. Bryant, who will decide between the Sooners and Oklahoma State in the coming week.

OU will be battling the Cowboys for its two other top targets, a pair of Central Texas safeties in Victor Johnson (Waco, Texas) and Zaviar Gooden (Pflugerville, Texas).

Johnson, a four-star prospect adept at tackling out of the defensive backfield, has trimmed his finalists to OU, OSU and Miami.

Gooden, a three-star recruit, is also considering the Cowboys along with Missouri and Kansas.

By signing Jones, Bryant and either Johnson or Gooden, OU could end up with one of the finest classes in the Bob Stoops era, which seemed unlikely earlier this month.