Oklahoma received a verbal commitment Friday from Blake Bell, the No. 1 high school quarterback prospect in the country, according to Rivals.com.
Bell took an unofficial visit to the OU campus Thursday, then committed Friday morning, according to Rivals network Web site SoonerScoop.com.
Bell, of Wichita (Kan.) Bishop Carroll High School, told the site, "I committed to Oklahoma University. It was my dream school."
The 6-foot-6, 210-pound Bell said he had other visits scheduled ? more than 20 programs have been recruiting him, including Georgia, LSU and Notre Dame ? but he now plans to cancel them all.
"It's a great fit for me,"
he said. "It's one of those things, I had a whole trip planned, Missouri, Kansas, and lots of others, after this weekend."
"On the way home last night it was me, my uncle, and my dad saying there is no reason to go anywhere else."
Bell's father, Mark Bell, played tight end for six seasons with the Seattle Seahawks and Baltimore Colts. His uncle, Mike Bell, played defensive end for 12 seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs.
As a junior last season, Blake Bell completed 64 percent of his passes for 2,871 yards with 34 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also averaged 4.1 yards per rush and scored 12 TDs on the ground.
The Sooners currently have three scholarship quarterbacks for the 2009 season, but it's expected that '08 Heisman Trophy winner Sam
Bradford will forego his senior season and enter the 2010 NFL Draft.
He told the Tulsa World this week he hasn't come close to defining his football future beyond this season, but Sam Bradford also could return for a fourth season as the starter.
Behind Bradford is redshirt freshman Landry Jones and first-year freshman Drew Allen, who joined the team this spring.
Bell told SoonerScoop.com he's always been an OU fan and said he's eager to get to Norman and begin competing for the job immediately if Bradford leaves.
Verbal commitments are nonbinding. Prospects can't sign letters of intent until February 2010.
