Oklahoma's Brent Venables Eyes Top LB Recruit Cooper Witten After Strong Season
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Brent Venables just completed one of the best seasons at Oklahoma since 2019, when the Sooners made the College Football Playoff under head coach Lincoln Riley.
In 2025, Oklahoma posted a 10-3 record, returning to the CFP for the first time since that year. A significant factor in this success was the performance of Venables’ defense. The former defensive coordinator for the Clemson Tigers, who won three national championship as a coordinator at Clemson and Oklahoma, resumed the role of calling the defensive plays this past season. Under his leadership, Oklahoma finished No. 5 in defensive efficiency, according to ESPN.
Now, Venables is focused on securing elite defensive recruits to sustain the momentum of his team’s defensive performance this season. One of the top prospects is five-star linebacker Cooper Witten.
Witten is the top-ranked linebacker in his class. This month, he visited Texas A&M and Georgia, and he also managed to fit in a trip back to Oklahoma, which wasn’t initially planned, according to Rivals’ Sam Spiegelman.
“From speaking to sources informed on his recruitment, the Sooners are going to be a hard team to beat for the blue-chipper,” Spiegelman wrote. “Brent Venables was the first to offer the touted prospect, and Witten is bullish about playing for a defensive-minded head coach. His father, Jason Witten, being on staff doesn’t hurt Oklahoma’s chances for a family-oriented player.”
Oklahoma’s momentum with Witten reflects the immediate ripple effect of Venables reasserting his identity as one of college football’s elite defensive minds. After the Sooners’ return to the College Football Playoff and a top-five defensive finish, recruits are once again viewing Norman as a destination for defensive development, not just offensive fireworks.
Landing Witten would be a foundational win for Venables’ long-term vision. As the top-ranked linebacker in the class, Witten fits perfectly into a system that prioritizes speed, instincts, and versatility at the second level. The historical precedent is clear: when Venables has elite linebacker play, his defenses consistently rank among the nation’s best. The added layer of familiarity only strengthens Oklahoma’s pitch to a family-oriented prospect.
Looking ahead, Oklahoma will continue to battle programs like Texas A&M and Georgia as Witten works through the recruiting process this spring and summer. However, with the Sooners already locking in a strong impression during an unexpected visit, Venables has a chance to secure a program-defining defensive commitment that could anchor Oklahoma’s CFP aspirations for years to come.
Related: Brent Venables, Oklahoma Predicted to Land 4-Star Safety in 2027 Recruiting Class
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Feb 3, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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