4-star DL Derrick LeBlanc commits to Oklahoma: 'I thought Venables was the best guy for me'

Last October, Kissimmee (Fla.) Osceola four-star defensive lineman Derrick LeBlanc was on campus to watch Clemson beat Florida State 30-20. After the game, he told his dad he wanted to commit to the Tigers. Specifically, he wanted to commit to Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables.

LeBlanc’s father told him to wait just in case of any coaching changes. That advice ended up altering LeBlanc’s entire recruitment.

After Lincoln Riley left Oklahoma for USC, Venables took the Sooners job. LeBlanc was still eager to learn from Venables even though he moved on to the Sooners. It’s one of the reasons why LeBlanc committed to the Sooners over Florida and Penn State.

“I think he brought more discipline to the area,” LeBlanc told On3 about Venables. “It’s just like teaching them real championship football to me. That’s what I think he brought. And that’s something I connect (with) and I know I needed. Everywhere you go, you’re gonna find some type of discipline, but I thought Venables was the best guy for me.

“Who coach Venables is, is who I want to play for. He is the coach that can make me better on and off the field.”

Venables and Chavis make the difference for LeBlanc

LeBlanc didn’t consider Oklahoma during the Riley years. But Venables’ hire in December piqued his interest in the Sooners. By late March, he knew Oklahoma was his future team after watching the Sooners practice during his unofficial visit.

“I was watching them practice and I knew I could play,” said LeBlanc, the No. 109 overall prospect and No. 11 defensive lineman in the 2023 On3 Consensus. “Them saying I could play right now… and then me actually seeing it, the stuff I do. They were portraying the stuff I do and the stuff their players can’t do. It was really just good seeing that.”

LeBlanc eventually told the coaching staff in June that he was coming to Norman. In addition to Venables, he built a great connection with Miguel Chavis, the Sooners’ defensive ends coach who previously served in a defensive player development role at Clemson. LeBlanc and Chavis spoke following Venables’ departure from the Tigers.

“I was talking to Chavis for a month,” LeBlanc said. “I think I was talking to him for a month, then he called me one day and said, ‘Man, I got a surprise.’ He said, ‘In a week, call me and you’re gonna see the surprise and you’re gonna wanna come.’ I told them I was coming to Clemson if y’all were still there. And then he told me, ‘Man, watch this’… And then like a week later, he called me with coach… on the plane. He said, ‘Boomer’ and I said, ‘Aw, man. I was just shocked.'”

LeBlanc is excited to grow in multiple ways with the Sooners

In addition to having mentors in Norman like Chavis and Venables, the 6-foot-4.5, 270 pound defensive lineman believes that Venables’ defensive mindset will be a great fit for Oklahoma’s history of offensive success. LeBlanc is also impressed by the “family-oriented” environment at Oklahoma. He believes being a part of the program will teach him various lessons.

“Just becoming the man I can (be) on and off the field,” LeBlanc said. “Just learning the things that Venables always preach(es). He says that all the time to try and make you a better man for life down the road. Obviously, there’s winning championships and stuff, but I think that’s his main message.”