Oklahoma Sooners Football Drops In Latest Rivals 2027 Team Recruiting Rankings

Oklahoma’s powerhouse 2027 recruiting class took a slight hit in the latest Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings, sliding to the No. 3 spot nationally.

Texas A&M and Texas Tech have now passed the Sooners in Rivals’ evaluation, a shift driven largely by differences in how the service rates certain high-profile Oklahoma commits.

As of mid-April 2026, the Sooners sit behind the Aggies and Red Raiders in the Rivals rankings, even as they maintain a commanding lead with a massive 20-commit class.

The primary reason for the drop appears to be Rivals’ more conservative star evaluations on key prospects like five-star linebacker Cooper Witten and five-star interior offensive lineman Kaeden Penny.

While other major outlets (including 247Sports) rate both as five-stars, Rivals has them valued lower, often as four-stars or borderline in their individual assessments. This discrepancy in star distribution and average rating directly impacts the team scoring formula used in Rivals’ Industry Rankings, allowing teams with fewer but higher-rated commits (like Texas A&M and Texas Tech) to edge ahead temporarily.

Despite the slip in Rivals, Oklahoma remains the clear No. 1 recruiting class in the country according to the 247Sports Composite. The Sooners’ depth, volume of commits, and elite talent at premium positions continue to give them the highest overall average and total points in the most widely referenced composite.

Oklahoma Football's 2027 Recruiting Class So Far

The class is headlined by three elite five-star prospects:

- 5-Star OT Cooper Hackett (Fort Gibson, OK) — A dominant bookend tackle with elite size and footwork.

- 5-Star LB Cooper Witten (Argyle, TX) — Explosive linebacker and son of tight ends coach Jason Witten.

- 5-Star IOL Kaeden Penny (Bixby, OK) — Athletic interior lineman with tremendous upside.

The four-star contingent adds significant versatility and immediate depth:

- 4-Star ATH Greydon Howell (Broken Bow, OK)

- 4-Star TE Seneca Driver (Danville, KY)

- 4-Star QB Jamison Roberts (Saraland, AL)

- 4-Star S Jaylen Scott (Mobile, AL)

- 4-Star WR Demare Dezeurn

- 4-Star LB Taven Epps

- 4-Star EDGE Krew Jones

- 4-Star RB Keldrid Ben

- 4-Star DL Elija Harmon

- 4-Star CB Mikhail McCreary

Filling out the roster with developmental pieces are seven three-star prospects:

- 3-Star IOL Isaac Coughran

- 3-Star DL Deven Robertson

- 3-Star CB Mikyal Davis

- 3-Star OT Luke Wilson

- 3-Star RB Jaxsen Stokes

- 3-Star WR Tra’Von Hall

- 3-Star IOL Tyson Ross

By the numbers: 20 total commits — 3 five-stars, 10 four-stars, and 7 three-stars.

This balance of star power and sheer volume has the class firmly on track to become the greatest high school recruiting haul in Oklahoma program history. The recent “Future Freaks” junior day produced a historic wave of commitments, including Roberts, Scott, Driver, and Howell in quick succession after Witten’s earlier pledge.

The Oklahoma Spring Game will take place this Saturday, and with likely more recruits on-campus, there could be another window for more commitments to the 2027 class in the coming weeks.

With 20 pledges already secured while most top programs sit in the single digits or low teens, Brent Venables and GM Jim Nagy have built unmatched momentum.

Coming off a College Football Playoff appearance and entering 2026 as a preseason top-10 team, the Sooners are experiencing their strongest program-wide surge since the peak Bob Stoops era.

This emphasis on high school recruiting creates long-term stability: developing homegrown talent over multiple years while using the transfer portal strategically to fill specific gaps rather than relying on it as the foundation.

Rankings fluctuations like this one in Rivals are common early in cycles, especially when services disagree on individual player evaluations.

With months still left before National Signing Day, Oklahoma’s class has every opportunity to climb back to the top of every ranking.