Brent Venables Leads Oklahoma to Top 2027 Recruiting Class with 4-Star Safety Prediction

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Brent Venables Leads Oklahoma to Top 2027 Recruiting Class with 4-Star Safety Prediction

The Oklahoma Sooners had a major bounce-back season in 2025 under head coach Brent Venables. The Sooners finished with a record of 10-3 and returned to the College Football Playoff for the first time since 2019.

Venables tenure in Norman had started off on a difficult note. He recorded a 6-7 record in two of his first three seasons, including in 2024, which was the program’s first year in the SEC. However, in 2025, he showed promise and seemed poised to lead the program back to the pinnacle of college football.

Venables had a 10-3 record once before at Oklahoma, but the following year he finished 6-7. He’s hoping that won’t happen again, as it could put him back on the hot seat. One area where he’s excelling is in high school recruiting; Oklahoma holds the No. 1 class for 2027, according to 247Sports.

Oklahoma Sooners head coach Brent Venables celebrates.© Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The Sooners are hoping to enhance their recruiting class as they have received two predictions to secure four-star safety Jaylen Scott. The Alabama native is ranked as a top 120 player in the nation and is among the top 10 at his position. He has received several prestigious offers, including from the Georgia Bulldogs, Tennessee Volunteers, Auburn Tigers, Florida Gators and Nebraska Cornhuskers.

The 2025 season provided a much-needed shift in perception for Venables, who had faced growing pressure after inconsistent results in his first three years. A 10-3 finish and a return to the College Football Playoff suggested the Sooners may finally be finding their footing in the SEC, easing concerns that had surrounded the program following losing seasons in 2022 and 2024.

If Oklahoma closes on Scott, it would add another blue-chip piece to what is already the nation’s top 2027 class. For Venables, sustained success on the trail could be the clearest signal that the program’s playoff return in 2025 was the beginning of a trend, not a brief resurgence, as the Sooners look ahead to the 2026 season and beyond.

Related: Oklahoma’s Brent Venables Lands Major Prospect Over Big Ten Program

This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jan 29, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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