Sooners secure top-tier talent, headlined by four-star quarterback Bowe Bentley and a deep defensive unit ready to dominate the SEC
As the dust settles on the early signing period and National Signing Day, the Oklahoma Sooners have locked in a solid 2026 football recruiting class under head coach Brent Venables.
With 25 committed and signed prospects—including standout four-star talents like quarterback Bowe Bentley, EDGE rusher Jake Kreul from IMG Academy, wide receiver Jayden Petit, and running back Jonathan Hatton Jr.—the class currently ranks in the top 15-16 nationally.
This group brings a mix of elite skill-position playmakers, high-motor defensive pieces, and versatile athletes, signaling the program's continued push to build depth and compete in the SEC's grueling landscape.
2026 Oklahoma Signees
DL James Carrington
6-2, 257 | Crean Lutheran (Irvine, CA)
3-star | No. 62 CA | No. 92 DL
Chose OU over Alabama, Florida State, and others.
LB Beau Jandreau
6-1, 215 | Hamilton (Chandler, AZ)
3-star | No. 150 LB
Completed the “Desert Double” by joining twin brother Niko on June 23. Turned down Oregon, Texas, Arizona, and others.
DB Niko Jandreau
6-1, 200 | Hamilton (Chandler, AZ)
3-star | No. 155 S
Committed May 13, beating his twin Beau to the punch. Chose Oklahoma over Oregon State, San Diego State, and others.
WR Jayden Petit
6-4, 195 | St. John Neumann (Naples, FL)
4-star | No. 12 FL | No. 13 WR | No. 93 overall
Brent Venables dubbed him a “freakazoid.” Flipped from Wisconsin and selected OU over Missouri, North Carolina, and others.
WR Daniel Odom
6-1, 178 | St. John Bosco (Bellflower, CA)
4-star | No. 34 CA | No. 48 WR
Picked the Sooners over Washington, Florida State, and others.
CB Derrick Johnson
6-2, 170 | Murrieta Valley (Murrieta, CA)
4-star | No. 20 CA | No. 23 CB | No. 204 overall
Chose OU over Washington, UCLA, TCU, and others.
DE Matthew Nelson
6-5, 215 | Bryant (Bryant, AR)
3-star | No. 4 AR | No. 40 DE
Signed with Oklahoma over Alabama, Arkansas, Tulane, and others.
TE Tyler Ruxer
6-4, 220 | Heritage Hills (Lincoln City, IN)
3-star | No. 3 IN | No. 15 TE | Top-300 nationally
Selected OU over West Virginia, Duke, Northwestern, and others.
QB Bowe Bentley
6-2, 200 | Celina (Celina, TX)
4-star | No. 8 QB | No. 13 TX | No. 106 overall
June commit who chose the Sooners over LSU, Ohio State, Colorado, Missouri, Texas Tech, and others.
IOL Deacon Schmitt
6-5, 320 | Windsor (Windsor, CO)
4-star (Composite) | No. 2 CO | No. 19 IOL | No. 278 overall
Picked Oklahoma over Alabama, Colorado, and others.
S Markel Ford
6-0, 180 | Horn (Mesquite, TX)
3-star | No. 72 S | No. 117 TX
Turned down Arkansas, Auburn, LSU, Michigan, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, and more.
DE Daniel Norman
6-4, 205 | St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
3-star | No. 47 EDGE | Top-500 overall
Chose OU over Miami, UCLA, Colorado, South Florida, and others.
RB Dezephen Walker
5-11, 190 | Raymore-Peculiar (Peculiar, MO)
3-star | No. 28 RB | Top-500 overall
Selected Oklahoma over Kansas State, Kansas, Arkansas, and others.
IOL Noah Best
6-3, 290 | Midlothian (Midlothian, TX)
3-star | No. 38 IOL | Top-500 overall
Chose OU over SMU, Texas Tech, Kansas State, Missouri, and others.
K Trace Rudd
6-0, 180 | Blue Valley Northwest (Overland Park, KS)
3-star | Top-10 K | No. 19 KS
Picked the Sooners over Texas Tech.
TE Ryder Mix
6-4, 220 | Lone Star (Frisco, TX)
3-star | Top-50 TE | Top-120 TX
Committed to OU over Arizona State and Ole Miss.
RB Jonathan Hatton Jr.
6-0, 205 | 4-star | No. 4 RB nationally
Flipped back to Oklahoma from Texas A&M last week after originally committing to the Sooners in October 2023 and flipping to the Aggies in March. DeMarco Murray closed the deal.
LB Kristan Moore
6-2, 215 | Selma (Selma, AL)
3-star | Top-150 LB
Flipped from North Alabama to OU on Nov. 30 — just the sixth Alabama native in program history.
ATH Xavier Okwufulueze
6-4, 195 | Rejoice Christian (Owasso, OK)
3-star | No. 8 OK | No. 33 ATH
In-state product projected as a tall wide receiver. Chose OU over TCU, Arkansas, and others.
EDGE Jake Kreul
6-3, 230 | IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL)
High-end 4-star (Composite) | Top-100 nationally | Top-10 EDGE
Teammate of current Sooners Jayden Jackson and David Stone at IMG. Selected Oklahoma over Texas, Florida, Ohio State, and others.
WR Jahsiear Rogers
5-11 | Appoquinimink (Middletown, DE)
4-star | No. 1 DE
Flipped from Penn State to Oklahoma on Oct. 27 after James Franklin’s dismissal.
DT Brian Harris
6-3, 280 | Creekside (Jacksonville, FL)
4-star
Todd Bates beat out Alabama, Penn State, Mississippi State, and others.
LB Dane Bathurst
6-3, 230 | Carmel (Carmel, IN)
3-star | No. 9 IN
Chose the Sooners over Purdue, Duke, and others.
LB Jacob Curry
6-1, 210 | Nease (Ponte Vedra Beach, FL)
3-star (247) | Composite 4-star | Top-50 LB
Picked Oklahoma over Ohio State, Auburn, and others.
CB LeBron Bauer
6-0, 170 | Allen (Allen, TX)
3-star | No. 210 CB overall
Picked Oklahoma over Arkansas, Arizona State, Oklahoma State, and TCU.
The 2026 class represents a key step forward for Oklahoma football, blending blue-chip upside with program fits that align with Venables' defensive identity and the evolving offensive demands of the conference.
While the cycle wrapped up smoothly with no major late drama, the real test begins when these signees arrive in Norman and start competing for playing time. If the talent translates as expected, this group could provide the foundation for sustained success and help elevate the Sooners back toward championship contention in the years ahead.