Go beyond the NIL bidding wars as the Sooners prioritize long-term NFL development and cultural fit over immediate payouts to build a sustainable championship roster in Norman
Oklahoma Football general manager Jim Nagy sat down with On3’s J.D. PicKell and gave a pretty honest breakdown of how he approaches recruiting in today’s NIL and portal world.
He’s not just throwing bags at every five-star that will take them. There’s a clear vision for the type of player they want in Norman.
"You've just got to find the guys that are about the right stuff," Nagy told PicKell.
"The money part, we're going to be competitive, but they've got to buy into what we're about. That's the culture and the brotherhood and being developed. The guys that we recruit to Oklahoma should have NFL futures. If they come in and put in the work, they allow themselves to be developed. So, Sunday money is always going to trump Saturday money."
Nagy is basically saying that while Oklahoma is going to be competitive with NIL money, they’re not going to try to outbid everybody for every player.
They want guys who care about development, culture, and long-term success. Sunday money (NFL contracts) should matter more than just getting the biggest bag for one or two years in college.
I respect that approach. In today’s crazy NIL era, it’s easy to chase every flashy name with the highest offer.
Nagy is trying to build something that lasts. He wants players who buy into what Oklahoma is about — the brotherhood, the development, and the history of sending guys to the league.
If you come in, put the work in, and trust the process, the program will develop you into an NFL player. That’s the pitch.
This message should be easier to sell now than it was a couple years ago. The Sooners just had a 10-win season, made the College Football Playoff, and had seven players drafted. That kind of success on the field helps when you’re trying to convince top talent to come to Norman. Players can see that the program is moving in the right direction under Brent Venables.
At the same time, you have to be realistic. Nagy says they’ll be competitive with the money, but they’re not going to win every bidding war. That’s just the nature of things right now.
Programs like Georgia, Texas, Alabama, Ohio State, and Oregon are also developing NFL talent and paying well. When a top recruit has multiple offers from blue-blood programs, sometimes it does come down to who offers the most. Oklahoma has to be prepared for those situations.
There’s nothing wrong with what Nagy said. In fact, it’s refreshing to hear a general manager talk about culture and long-term development instead of just throwing around dollar amounts. But the reality is that to compete at the absolute highest level in college football, you have to be able to close on those elite players when it counts.
The Sooners have the history, the facilities, the coaching, and now the recent success to sell. Adding a strong NIL collective and smart roster management from Nagy should help close the gap.
The pitch is clear: Come to Oklahoma if you want to be developed into an NFL player, be part of a real brotherhood, and compete for championships. The money will be competitive, but it’s about more than that. If players buy into that vision, the program can keep building on the momentum from last year.
Nagy seems to get it. He’s not trying to be everything to everybody. He’s looking for the right fits — guys who want to work, get better, and chase Sunday money.
If they keep landing those types of players, Oklahoma should be in good shape moving forward.
