*** I visited 2025 Weatherford (OK) four-star EDGE rusher CJ Nickson this past week to see how his unofficial visit to the Sooners ELITE JR Day last weekend went, along with where things stand with him and OU as of late January/early February.
*** First, Nickson was very complimentary of the Sooners DE coach Miguel Chavis, adding, "He's so intense but he is also fun to talk with," Nickson said. "Coach [Miguel] Chavis makes me feel at home when I am around him and visit OU."
*** Nickson also said that even though Brent Venables is intense, he feels that like Miguel Chavis makes him seem calm. We both laughed a bit at that comment and I asked for clarification because 'calm and laid back' is not what I have ever heard BV described as when talking about the Sooners' head coach personality. Nickson went into deeper detail, and said, "I mean, if you have the two in the same room and compare both together, I just have always felt that Coach V is laid back compared to Coach Chavis. It's a good thing, too. Both are hyped a lot, but when they are together it feels like Coach Chavis is a bit more hyped up."
He did end it by saying that it could be the recruiting side of things because he could see Coach V being super intense on the field.
*** As for a timeline on where things are going to go with his recruiting, along with what sport Nickson is looking to play in college, the Rivals250 talent, added, "I would love to try and play both. That is my goal to start at least. I spoke with Porter Moser and they are talking to me about that a bit. So are a lot of college basketball programs. Football just kind of blew up out of nowhere, so it's become more of a focus on the recruiting side," Nickson added. "But my exact timeline is up in the air right now. I would like to take a few more visits and then set up some official visits later on. If I had to guess on when I would like to decide right now, I think I would like to be done with it all by the summer at the latest."
*** Nickson went on about some upcoming visits and how he wants to return to OU for more visits. He is playing for Team Griffin this spring and summer on the AAU circuit, so he has to work around that to fit the visits in. However, Nickson has a visit planned this weekend to a P5 football program and it's one that he really excited about, adding, "I will be at Kansas this weekend for football, but the cool part will be that I get to attend the KU/Houston game at Phog Allen. How could I not be excited about two top five teams playing in a place I have always wanted to see a game?"
*** As for a return to OU, the four-star OKPreps EDGE rusher says it is in the works, saying, "I will be back at OU later on this spring. Coach JP [Losman] wants to set up an unofficial visit that is like an official in how it is planned up," He said. "I would like to take my official to OU for the Alabama game because that is where me and my family are originally from and it will be a big one at the end of the season."
Nickson said he would done with recruiting by then, so that was an interesting statement, right?
*** Lastly, Nickson said that OU is his top school right now, but also added that Georgia is up there (they were at his game on Tuesday night in Kingfisher), Notre Dame is recruiting him, Kansas and Texas Tech are all up there as well. Because of him stating that OU is "where I feel most at home," and Nickson telling me it's his top school right now, I am going to put a future cast in for Oklahoma.
When you talk to the four-star, and even read some of his statements, it's clear that OU has put themselves in pole position, but I would be remiss if I didn't remind you all that this is very early on in the recruiting process so I am putting in the FC off of what my feeling is right now, along with where I think this ends up come decision time for Nickson and 2025 NSD.
*** On a more general note, we will see how this plays out from this point on, but the Sooners are pressing hard for Nickson, four-star EDGE Max Granville, four-star EDGE Jayden Woods, Four-star EDGE Isaiah Gibson and a few others. I think OU would like to take two or three DE/EDGE commits this cycle, with three-star Wagoner (OK) DE Alex Shieldnight already on board and taking up one of those slots. So there is a reality where OU doesn't have to leave the OKPreps ranks to take two of the potential three DE commits in 2025. That is obviously ONLY if CJ Nickson eventually picks OU.
We will continue to follow CJ Nickson's recruitment and update you all on him throughout the spring. He would be big get for the Sooners, if he does in fact choose OU, and would move the Sooners back to number 4 overall in 2025 as things sit today. For now, the Sooners are ranked fifth in 2025 team rankings, with nine commits already.
*** First, Nickson was very complimentary of the Sooners DE coach Miguel Chavis, adding, "He's so intense but he is also fun to talk with," Nickson said. "Coach [Miguel] Chavis makes me feel at home when I am around him and visit OU."
*** Nickson also said that even though Brent Venables is intense, he feels that like Miguel Chavis makes him seem calm. We both laughed a bit at that comment and I asked for clarification because 'calm and laid back' is not what I have ever heard BV described as when talking about the Sooners' head coach personality. Nickson went into deeper detail, and said, "I mean, if you have the two in the same room and compare both together, I just have always felt that Coach V is laid back compared to Coach Chavis. It's a good thing, too. Both are hyped a lot, but when they are together it feels like Coach Chavis is a bit more hyped up."
He did end it by saying that it could be the recruiting side of things because he could see Coach V being super intense on the field.
*** As for a timeline on where things are going to go with his recruiting, along with what sport Nickson is looking to play in college, the Rivals250 talent, added, "I would love to try and play both. That is my goal to start at least. I spoke with Porter Moser and they are talking to me about that a bit. So are a lot of college basketball programs. Football just kind of blew up out of nowhere, so it's become more of a focus on the recruiting side," Nickson added. "But my exact timeline is up in the air right now. I would like to take a few more visits and then set up some official visits later on. If I had to guess on when I would like to decide right now, I think I would like to be done with it all by the summer at the latest."
*** Nickson went on about some upcoming visits and how he wants to return to OU for more visits. He is playing for Team Griffin this spring and summer on the AAU circuit, so he has to work around that to fit the visits in. However, Nickson has a visit planned this weekend to a P5 football program and it's one that he really excited about, adding, "I will be at Kansas this weekend for football, but the cool part will be that I get to attend the KU/Houston game at Phog Allen. How could I not be excited about two top five teams playing in a place I have always wanted to see a game?"
*** As for a return to OU, the four-star OKPreps EDGE rusher says it is in the works, saying, "I will be back at OU later on this spring. Coach JP [Losman] wants to set up an unofficial visit that is like an official in how it is planned up," He said. "I would like to take my official to OU for the Alabama game because that is where me and my family are originally from and it will be a big one at the end of the season."
Nickson said he would done with recruiting by then, so that was an interesting statement, right?
*** Lastly, Nickson said that OU is his top school right now, but also added that Georgia is up there (they were at his game on Tuesday night in Kingfisher), Notre Dame is recruiting him, Kansas and Texas Tech are all up there as well. Because of him stating that OU is "where I feel most at home," and Nickson telling me it's his top school right now, I am going to put a future cast in for Oklahoma.
When you talk to the four-star, and even read some of his statements, it's clear that OU has put themselves in pole position, but I would be remiss if I didn't remind you all that this is very early on in the recruiting process so I am putting in the FC off of what my feeling is right now, along with where I think this ends up come decision time for Nickson and 2025 NSD.
*** On a more general note, we will see how this plays out from this point on, but the Sooners are pressing hard for Nickson, four-star EDGE Max Granville, four-star EDGE Jayden Woods, Four-star EDGE Isaiah Gibson and a few others. I think OU would like to take two or three DE/EDGE commits this cycle, with three-star Wagoner (OK) DE Alex Shieldnight already on board and taking up one of those slots. So there is a reality where OU doesn't have to leave the OKPreps ranks to take two of the potential three DE commits in 2025. That is obviously ONLY if CJ Nickson eventually picks OU.
We will continue to follow CJ Nickson's recruitment and update you all on him throughout the spring. He would be big get for the Sooners, if he does in fact choose OU, and would move the Sooners back to number 4 overall in 2025 as things sit today. For now, the Sooners are ranked fifth in 2025 team rankings, with nine commits already.
