Del City QB River Warren 'in a pickle,' on outside looking in for National Signing Day

River Warren has set himself up for a college football career.

He reached the Class 5A state championship game with Del City, producing plenty of highlight film. He took care of academics, graduating a semester early. Then he headed to Pico Rivera, California, to train with high-profile quarterbacks coach Danny Hernandez.

Warren is devoted to his craft, but there’s an obstacle.

After two national signing days have passed, the 6-foot-4, three-star prospect who is ranked No. 28 on The Oklahoman's 2024 Super 30 doesn’t have a college program to call home. All he can do is stay patient.

“I’d definitely say (I’m looking for) a school who believes in me and thinks that I can be their guy,” Warren said.

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Several programs expressed that possibility after his junior season at Bishop McGuinness, where he starred before joining the Eagles. The offers trickled in, including Eastern Michigan, Arkansas State, Bowling Green and Marshall. Warren said Power Five schools started to show interest, too.

Despite a standout undefeated regular season at Del City, luck didn’t stay on his side.

Warren said Northwestern was recruiting him, but that potential opportunity fell through when head coach Pat Fitzgerald was fired amid reports of rampant racism and hazing within the program. The Del City quarterback waited for other Power Five offers, but they never came. Then his early offers no longer stood as quarterback slots filled up.

“At that point, some of the Group of Fives that I had already, they had already gotten their guy,” Warren said. “So I was kind of in a pickle.”

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With many college coaches zeroing in on the transfer portal, high school prospects are increasingly overlooked. This phenomenon is hardly limited to Oklahoma. In a January 2023 article, The Dallas Morning News reviewed 247Sports data from eight nearby Division I football programs and determined 79 of their total recruits came from the transfer portal in the 2022 class, a huge jump from one in 2018.

The number of high school recruits at those same schools dropped from 187 in the 2018 class to 158 only four years later.

With slots for high school recruits rapidly dwindling, four- and five-star guys are often prioritized, leaving talented three-star prospects like Warren behind.

“(The portal) has definitely impacted recruiting, specifically for quarterbacks,” Warren said. “You’re only taking one guy a class, and now, instead of taking one high school guy a class, they might take a portal guy instead of a high school guy.”

Here’s the paradox of the transfer portal: as it hurts Warren’s recruitment, it could help. Warren said a few programs have reached out to him and said if they lose someone during the next portal cycle, they want him to fill the spot. The spring portal window spans from April 16-30.

If none of these opportunities pan out, then Warren has a backup plan. He said he has discussed with Del City coach Robert Jones the possibility of taking a prep school gap year and reclassifying in the class of 2025, but Warren’s first choice is joining a college program for the upcoming season.

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His stats reflect his skills. Warren completed 70.6% of his pass attempts for 3,050 yards and 36 touchdowns as a senior. He finished his prep career with 8,000 passing yards and 80 touchdowns, smoothly transitioning from one team to the next. Jones has complimented his leadership.

But Warren isn’t sure where he will apply those skills next.

The quarterback is waiting in a Los Angeles suburb, lifting weights and practicing so he can immediately step into a program if his name is called.

He has a pitch for any college coaches who are searching.

“You’re getting somebody who is going to put the extra hours in,” Warren said, “and going to do everything he needs to do to be great at the next level.”

Hallie Hart covers high school sports for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Hallie? She can be reached at hhart@oklahoman.com or on Twitter at @halliehart. Sign up for The Varsity Club newsletter to access more high school coverage. Support Hallie's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Del City QB River Warren remains unsigned on 2024 National Signing Day