Tag: Elijah Thomas

Oklahoma to host talented 2025 prospects for first Junior Day of new recruiting cycle

Oklahoma is hosting their first Junior Day for the Class of 2025. We’ve compiled a list of the expected or confirmed attendees.

Oklahoma’s recruiting has been borderline elite since Brent Venables took over as Norman’s head man. The three recruiting classes have been well-balanced from top to bottom. As the 2024 class begins to acclimate themselves as student-athletes on campus this month, the staff has pressed on and is looking ahead to the [autotag]2025 recruiting class[/autotag].

The 2025 class is a switch-up from the previous classes. If nothing else because the Sooners have a slew of commits already in the boat for 2025. In the last few years, Oklahoma has exploded onto the scene in the summer. Some early lifting and the byproduct of terrific relationships built over the last few years have already paid dividends for this staff. The Sooners already have nine commits for 2025.

Oklahoma will host its first Junior Day of the year Saturday in Norman, and we’ve done our best to compile a list of the names confirmed or expected to be in the building.

[autotag]Elijah Thomas[/autotag] – four-star WR – OU Commit

[autotag]Owen Hollenbeck[/autotag] – four-star IOL  – OU Commit

[autotag]Kevin Sperry[/autotag] – four-star QB – OU Commit

[autotag]Ka’Mori Moore[/autotag] –three-star DT  – OU Commit

[autotag]Caleb Cunningham[/autotag] – five-star WR

Emmanuel Choice – three-star WR

Kole Briehler – three-star DL

Demarius Robinson – RB

Max Granville – four-star EDGE

[autotag]Cobey Sellers[/autotag] – four-star CB

Deyjhon Pettaway – four-star CB

[autotag]Trystan Haynes[/autotag] – four-star CB

Omarion Robinson – four-star S

[autotag]Landon Rink[/autotag] – four-star DL

[autotag]Jonah Williams[/autotag] – five-star LB/S

Tory Blaylock – four-star RB

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Sooners latest to offer five-star 2025 WR Caleb Cunningham

Oklahoma was the latest to offer consensus five-star wide receiver Caleb Cunningham.

Emmett Jones has had a fantastic start to his tenure as the Oklahoma Sooners wide receivers coach.

He’s picked up two transfer portal commitments, five commitments in the 2024 cycle, and so far three pledges in the 2025 cycle.

Oklahoma’s 2025 wide receiver class looks formidable already, with [autotag]Jaden Nickens[/autotag], [autotag]Elijah Thomas[/autotag], and [autotag]Gracen Harris[/autotag] in the boat.

The Sooners are pushing hard for Oklahoma legacy Isaiah Mozee, a four-star receiver out of Lee’s Summit North High School in Missouri. Mozee’s father was a running back with the Sooners under Bob Stoops.

Oklahoma isn’t satisfied just yet, as the Sooners recently offered 2025 five-star receiver Caleb Cunningham. Cunningham is the number one player in Mississippi and a consensus five-star. He’s an ultra-talented receiver with an alluring blend of size and speed that he leverages well to dominate his opponents.

He’s very much a national recruit with offers from programs all over. He’s also a standout on the basketball court, where he finished his sophomore season averaging over 20 points a game.

Oklahoma is very much in this recruiting battle because of Emmett Jones’s ability to connect with kids. It will be interesting to see how this recruitment unfurls in the coming months.

Caleb Cunningham’s Recruiting Profile

Projections

  • No projections at this time for Caleb Cunningham.

Film

HUDL

Oklahoma set to host a number of prospects for season opener vs. Arkansas State

The Oklahoma Sooners are hosting a number of prospects over the next few recruiting cycles for their season opener. Who’s will be in attendance?

Oklahoma’s first game of the season comes against Arkansas State in what could be a blistering day in Norman, Oklahoma. Aside from the pageantry of the first game and the excitement it’ll generate, the Sooners will also be playing host to a number future Sooners and other OU targets.

With the summer dead period officially over, athletes can revisit schools. Oklahoma has already established a nice little list of visitors of both the official and unofficial variety.

We’ve taken the liberty of compiling a list of all the visitors we know now.

2025 Four-star WR Jaden Nickens commits to Oklahoma Sooners

Four-star 2025 receiver Jaden Nickens committed to Oklahoma on Saturday giving the Sooners five commits for 2025.

In a complete reversal of how the last two recruiting cycles have worked for Oklahoma, things are different about the class of 2025.

Maybe because they know Oklahoma will be in the SEC, or maybe because of how long they’ve been in contact with the coaching staff, the relationships are a bit further along than with prior classes. Whatever the reason, it’s working as Oklahoma is quickly stacking 2025 talent.

The newest member of Oklahoma’s 2025 recruiting class is in-state star Jaden Nickens.

Nickens is a four-star wide receiver from Millwood, Okla. He’s among the brightest stars in the Sooner State and is already a consensus four-star prospect. Nickens committed to Oklahoma over offers from Arkansas, Oklahoma State, and Texas A&M.

When looking at Nickens’ film, it’s easy to see why he’s highly regarded. He stands 6-foot-3 and uses his frame to win every contested catch. Playing outside looks to be where Nickens is most comfortable. What stands out when you watch him is how dynamic he is with the ball in his hands.

He’s incredibly effective in the wide receiver screen game. His athleticism is evident on the field. If you need supplemental evidence of his athletic ability, he’s a definitive Power Five basketball player with high major offers from multiple programs.

He’s the No. 119 overall recruit in the 2025 class, according to the 247Sports composite rankings. In Oklahoma, he’s a top-three player. His commitment means three of the top six players in the state in 247Sports composite rankings are committed to Oklahoma for 2025. Nickens joins fellow four-star wide receiver Elijah Thomas, and Oklahoma’s 2025 QB commit Kevin Sperry.

The Sooners are putting a stranglehold on in-state recruiting for 2025. Oklahoma is trending to flip another one of the top six prospects in the state state. That is four-star tight end Nate Roberts who is committed to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Nickens gives Oklahoma five commits for 2025, firmly solidifying their spot in the top four for team recruiting rankings behind Georgia, Alabama, and Oregon.

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Rivals FutureCast favors Oklahoma for In-state prospect Marcus James

Oklahoma received a FutureCast to land Carl Albert LB Marcus James on Tuesday. James is a rising prospect in the 2025 class.

Oklahoma’s 2024 recruiting efforts are reaching a critical month as the calendar turns to August. The Sooners are currently waiting on two of the nation’s best prospects to make their decisions later this month.

Decisions will come for five-star David Stone and five-star Williams Nwaneri, and Oklahoma can then push forward and try to round out the rest of their 2024 class. After recruiting exploded in the summer months for the 2023 and 2024 recruiting classes, the Sooners’ 2025 class may be bucking that trend.

In just the 2025 class alone, Oklahoma has received four commitments this year. Four-star prospects wide receiver Elijah Thomas, Kevin Sperry Gracen Harris, and defensive tackle Ka’Mori Moore.

It’s a stark contrast from how the 2024 cycle has gone. Oklahoma didn’t earn their first commitment until the end of March when Jeremiah Newcombe broke the ice.

Momentum is continuing to brew for Oklahoma with another 2025 prospect. The Sooners were projected to land three-star linebacker Marcus James of in-state power Carl Albert High School. OUInsider’s Parker Thune issued a Rivals FutureCast favoring Oklahoma.

James, a talented rising junior, hasn’t even come close to tapping into his potential. He stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 215 pounds. He shows some good athleticism and looks tailormade to be a candidate to play cheetah in Oklahoma’s defense.

No commitment looks imminent, but Carl Albert teammates 2025 quarterback commit Kevin Sperry and 2024 running back commit Xavier Robinson in his ear, you have to like the Sooners chances of locking down James’ pledge.

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Brent Venables, Oklahoma Sooners breaking mold with 2025 recruiting class

Setting a new trend for Oklahoma recruiting Brent Venables and his staff are off to a hot start in the 2025 recruiting cycle.

At this point, it’s safe to say that anything’s possible with Brent Venables and the Oklahoma Sooners on the recruiting trail. Though they still have several high-profile recruitments to lock up in the next few weeks for the 2024 cycle, the 2025 recruiting class is already taking shape.

When [autotag]Kevin Sperry[/autotag] committed back in March, the 2025 recruiting class earned its first pledge. That came 12 days before the 2024 recruiting class broke the ice. After [autotag]Gracen Harris[/autotag] joined Sperry in May, the Sooners added a pair of commitments this week, with [autotag]Ka’Mori Moore[/autotag] and [autotag]Elijah Thomas[/autotag] joining the fold.

With four commitments in the class, the Sooners sit No. 4 in the nation in the 2025 recruiting cycle.

With these four commitments, the 2025 class set a precedent in recruiting for Brent Venables and his coaching staff.

In prior years, the [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]’ Sooners didn’t receive their first commitment until the year prior to that class’ signing day. [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] committed the January before the December early signing period for the 2023 cycle. [autotag]Joshua Bates[/autotag] was committed under the [autotag]Lincoln Riley[/autotag] regime and stayed committed, but Arnold represented the first commitment in the 2023 cycle under Venables.

For 2024, it was March, just under nine months from the 2024 early signing period, for Oklahoma to earn its first commitment.

Sperry’s pledge came 21 months ahead of the 2025 early signing period. Oklahoma earned its fourth commitment 17 months out from 2025’s early signing period. When Oklahoma received its fourth commitment for the 2024 class, the Sooners were just under eight months out from the early signing period.

There’s been a lot of talk about how Brent Venables and the Oklahoma Sooners performed on the field in 2022. There’s been a lot of talk about Venables’ visit policy and recruiting values. And while some may take exception to how he does things, you can’t dispute the recruiting acumen of Venables, his coaching staff, and the on-campus recruiting team. The results on the field will determine the final evaluation, but with a pair of top 10 recruiting classes, the early returns are quite strong for Venables and his staff.

Prior to the run of 2025 commitments, it was believed the summer before a class’ early signing period would be Oklahoma’s most fruitful time on the recruiting trail. While the summer months will still be bountiful, the 2025 class is getting a head start on the process by pledging early and being a part of Oklahoma’s recruiting plan.

As the Oklahoma Sooners look to finish strongly in the 2024 recruiting class, they’re working to earn commitments from several blue chip prospects over the next five weeks. Brent Venables and his staff may not earn pledges from every one of their targets, but as they’ve shown in recruitments of Peyton Bowen and Jayden Jackson, never count them out. And as they continue to prove time and time again, doubt them at your own peril.

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Oklahoma 2024 prospects expected at ‘Party At The Palace’

Oklahoma set to host multiple 2024 recruits and commits for the Party at the Palace.

Oklahoma’s had a busy July to follow up a June full of official visits. July was about constructing their recruiting board for 2025 and 2026 as the 2024 class determines their future.

With so many Oklahoma targets for the 2024 recruiting class stopping by in June for official visits, it significantly decreased the likelihood that July would see nearly as much traffic. And while that may be true, this weekend’s Party at the Palace is still significant and a notable follow-up from Oklahoma’s ‘Sooners under the Sun’ underclassmen event that took place in the middle of the week. That event has already netted a pair of 2025 commitments from defensive tackle Ka’Mori Moore and four-star wide receiver Elijah Thomas.

For [autotag]Party at the Palace[/autotag], the 2024 class is back in the spotlight as more than 10 2024 prospects are expected to be in the building over the weekend. Several players are already committed, and the Sooners are hoping to use the event to move the needle with their uncommitted players. We took the liberty of highlighting who has been confirmed to be in Norman for the event.

Oklahoma will have the luxury of having multiple 2024 commits in the building to help with their recruiting efforts. [autotag]Michael Hawkins[/autotag] and [autotag]Isaiah Autry[/autotag] can help with the recruitment of three-star offensive lineman [autotag]Josh Aisosa[/autotag] and four-star offensive tackle [autotag]Grant Brix[/autotag]. Defensively, Jaydan Hardy can help with the recruitments of [autotag]Eli Bowen[/autotag], [autotag]C.J. Jackson[/autotag], and [autotag]Michael Boganowski[/autotag] and get in the ear of three-star safety [autotag]Mykel Patterson-McDonald[/autotag], who plans to announce his commitment on July 31st. He’ll be deciding between Oklahoma, Houston, and UNLV.

In-state talent [autotag]Danny Okoye[/autotag] has had a compelling recruitment. He’s been offered by some of college football’s elite, including Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, and Ohio State. With Oklahoma still looking to build a historic class along the defensive line, knocking this visit out of the park would help go a long way.

Party at the Palace could provide the last springboard Oklahoma needs to help solidify its place in the recruitments of several 2024 guys as prospects prepare to lock in for their final high school seasons. This event also marks the last major recruiting event of the offseason for Oklahoma. The calendar gives way to fall camp in preparation for the [autotag]2023 college football season[/autotag].

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Sooners land commitment from 2025 4-star WR Elijah Thomas out of Checotah

The Oklahoma Sooners picked up another commitment in the 2025 class, this time from four-star wide receiver Elijah Thomas.

The 2025 recruiting cycle has been fantastic for the Oklahoma Sooners, with a year and a half to go until 2025 national signing day. The Sooners added their fourth commitment, and second in as many days, with the pledge of 2025 four-star wide receiver Elijah Thomas.

Thomas, out of Checotah, Okla., is the No. 170 player in the 247Sports composite and the No. 25 wide receiver in the 2025 recruiting class. He chose the Oklahoma Sooners over offers from Oklahoma State, Arkansas, Kansas, Kansas State, Alabama, and Texas Tech.

The Oklahoma native is the No. 5 player in the state and joins a recruiting class that features four-star quarterback [autotag]Kevin Sperry[/autotag], four-star wide receiver [autotag]Gracen Harris[/autotag], and three-star defensive tackle [autotag]Ka’Mori Moore[/autotag].

The first thing you notice about Thomas is his ability to release off the line of scrimmage against press coverage. With fantastic lateral agility, he’s able to ditch his defender and get vertical in a hurry. Thomas displays really good route running and is smooth down the field. He’s got really nice hands and can break away from the defense after the catch. The four-star prospect displays the ability to track the football well in the air and time his jumps well when going up to get the football. While he has a slender frame at 6 feet and 160 pounds, he displays good toughness at the catch point and the ability to break tackles in the open field.

This is another fantastic addition to the Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver room with his ability to win at every level of the passing game.

He marks the seventh high school wide receiver commit for assistant coach [autotag]Emmett Jones[/autotag] since taking the job in January. It’s the fifth blue chip commitment earned by Jones in his tenure with the Sooners. Including transfer portal additions Andrel Anthony and Brenen Thompson, Jones has earned pledges from nine prospects in a little more than seven months on the job.

With the commitment of Elijah Thomas, the Sooners move up to No. 3 in the 2025 recruiting class. Only Alabama and Georgia sit in front of them in the 247Sports team recruiting rankings.

While the Sooners are working to close on their 2024 recruiting class, 2025 prospects are taking it upon themselves to get the ball rolling early in their recruiting cycle. It’s likely this isn’t the last commitment we see from the 2025 class before the fall season starts.

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