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STILLWATER — Paul Randolph and Alexander McPherson first met less than two years ago, but life has changed dramatically for both since then, at least as far as football is concerned.
Earlier this month, McPherson, a senior-to-be at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, committed to Oklahoma State, where Randolph is the defensive line coach.
The strong bond between the two was a key factor in the 6-foot-4, 245-pound McPherson’s decision.
It’s a bond that has spanned school changes for both.
McPherson was a sophomore at Martin County High School in Stuart, Florida, and Randolph was coaching the defensive line at Indiana.
After a strong season, McPherson got a scholarship offer from Randolph and Indiana, one of the first in a list that has since grown to 16.
More: Oklahoma State football recruiting tracker: Which players are committed to 2025 class?
Oklahoma State defensive line coach talks with players during an Oklahoma State University Cowboys spring football practice in Stillwater, Okla., Tuesday, March 26, 2024.
McPherson enrolled at IMG prior to last season and continued to show his growth as a talented defensive end.
In mid-January, Randolph was hired at Oklahoma State, and before the end of the month, McPherson had a Cowboy offer.
Randolph’s recruiting skill has always been a strong point, and he has shown it already in six months at OSU. The first three defensive commitments for the Cowboys in the 2025 recruiting class were linemen — all in the last two months — and Randolph has been critical in securing them all.
“His relationships are very personal,” McPherson told The Oklahoman. “It’s not always the pressure on you to connect to him. He was kind of a mentor to me through the whole recruiting process. If I had a question, I would ask him.
“It wasn’t always just about him.”
One of the final pieces…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/paul-randolphs-genuine-approach-showing-110203462.html
Author : The Oklahoman
Publish date : 2024-06-20 11:02:03
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