*** We will start with 2026 four-star safety Isaiah Williams.
Right now, I like where OU stands but numbers will be an issue at the safety position in 2026. Unless attrition helps like it did with 2025, the Sooners taking more than two safeties in 2026 would be stretching it a bit, according to a few sources.
So how might the safety room play out and where does OU stand with some of their top targets at the position? I’ll dive into that and Williams visit below, but will also inform you to expect my 2026 class predictions in the near future as well.
On to the important info…
First, I’d predict four-star Frisco (TX) Lone Star safety Jordan Deck to be the Sooners’ class as things stand today. On that same note, despite Rivals250 and four-star safety Markel Ford being committed to Texas A&M, I would have some confidence that Oklahoma is still squarely in it. I also am being told that Oklahoma is likely to host Ford (again) fairly soon. However, that is another topic for another day (reminder Ford also visited OU for Party at Palace AFTER his commitment to Gig’em). I will dive more into all of that down the road regarding Ford — possibly in class prediction writeup.
Now, having said all of that, Oklahoma is also in a very good spot with Isaiah Williams as well. The elite Texas Gulf Coast safety target has only been to Norman one time, but those around him — and those well-connected to his recruitment — seem to feel that Oklahoma, and safety coach Brandon Hall, have made a significant impact with Williams already.
That impact has Williams set to return to Norman when the Sooners host Tennessee to open up conference play in their inaugural season in the SEC. That’s also when the prodigal son, Josh Heupel, returns to Norman for the first time as a head coach, and since his ousting as the Sooners’ OC after the disappointing 2014 season ended.
The Tenn game is going to be huge for recruiting, and Williams isn’t the first big-name, and won’t be the last that we will discuss for that weekend, either.
OUinsider has already reported at least five Rivals100 offers set to visit that weekend, with multiple being in the top 30 overall. That’s five-star status, for those checking at home.
Those players are elite 2026 DT Deuce Geralds, four-star QB commit Jaden O’Neal, elite DT Tank Carrington, four-star ATH/CB Brandon Arrington and a few others. Geralds and Carrington are ranked 28th and 25th, respectively, in the 2026 class. Those are the likely five-stars so far. O’Neal is 63rd and Arrington is 52nd. All are four-stars or above, obviously.
As for Williams, he has been telling people that he wants to make a commitment decision before the calendar year turns over to 2025, so as long as Coach Hall and the Sooners have room, I’d expect Oklahoma to press for Williams fairly aggressively.
Despite most viewing the Sooners as the potential team to beat for Williams, there are other programs that he has his eye on like Texas and Ohio State. They are the other two teams you hear a lot about with Williams, so it won’t be easy for Oklahoma to reel the big-time safety in.
*** We hinted at multiple Rivals250 defenders set to visit Oklahoma for a game this season. Yes, we named a bunch in the note above that are visiting when Oklahoma hosts the Vols on September 21st, but that won’t be the only big visit weekend.
Sources seem to think the Bama game in
November will be one that has a chance to be another huge recruiting weekend.
.
That Bama game is also one that we continue to hear will be when OU gets to host 2026 Rivals250 EDGE rusher Jake Kruel again.
I was able to see and speak with Kreul this summer after watching him compete like a man on a mission at Rivals 5-star Challenge this past July in Jacksonville (FL). The twitchy EDGE rusher was almost impossible to block, and the fast-riser really turned some heads with his performance that week.
Kreul told OUinsider at the time that he was headed to OU again for a game, and said, “I am excited to see a SEC game there… but I’ve already been to OU two or three times already because of my relationship (with Miguel Chavis).”
The Sooners were the first big school to offer Kreul and that made a significant mark, he said.
“Coach [Miguel] Chavis was my first big offer and I will aways remember that.”
Oklahoma seems to be in a good spot early on for the 2026 IMG Academy DE. That said, Oklahoma will have its work cut out for it, with programs like Miami, Clemson, LSU, Ohio State and Texas also being teams that Kreul has his eyes on.
*** We will have more recruiting info throughout the week as OU looks to have its 2025 class almost finished, outside of Michael Fasusi deciding on Wednesday between OU, A&M and Texas, and four-star LB Christian Jones still deciding sometime in October as of today.
That means more and more 2026 content as OU heats up on big-name targets in that class. The good news is Oklahoma is off to a HOT start for that class as well. We will see if that can continue, so stay tuned to OUinsider VIP.
Right now, I like where OU stands but numbers will be an issue at the safety position in 2026. Unless attrition helps like it did with 2025, the Sooners taking more than two safeties in 2026 would be stretching it a bit, according to a few sources.
So how might the safety room play out and where does OU stand with some of their top targets at the position? I’ll dive into that and Williams visit below, but will also inform you to expect my 2026 class predictions in the near future as well.
On to the important info…
First, I’d predict four-star Frisco (TX) Lone Star safety Jordan Deck to be the Sooners’ class as things stand today. On that same note, despite Rivals250 and four-star safety Markel Ford being committed to Texas A&M, I would have some confidence that Oklahoma is still squarely in it. I also am being told that Oklahoma is likely to host Ford (again) fairly soon. However, that is another topic for another day (reminder Ford also visited OU for Party at Palace AFTER his commitment to Gig’em). I will dive more into all of that down the road regarding Ford — possibly in class prediction writeup.
Now, having said all of that, Oklahoma is also in a very good spot with Isaiah Williams as well. The elite Texas Gulf Coast safety target has only been to Norman one time, but those around him — and those well-connected to his recruitment — seem to feel that Oklahoma, and safety coach Brandon Hall, have made a significant impact with Williams already.
That impact has Williams set to return to Norman when the Sooners host Tennessee to open up conference play in their inaugural season in the SEC. That’s also when the prodigal son, Josh Heupel, returns to Norman for the first time as a head coach, and since his ousting as the Sooners’ OC after the disappointing 2014 season ended.
The Tenn game is going to be huge for recruiting, and Williams isn’t the first big-name, and won’t be the last that we will discuss for that weekend, either.
OUinsider has already reported at least five Rivals100 offers set to visit that weekend, with multiple being in the top 30 overall. That’s five-star status, for those checking at home.
Those players are elite 2026 DT Deuce Geralds, four-star QB commit Jaden O’Neal, elite DT Tank Carrington, four-star ATH/CB Brandon Arrington and a few others. Geralds and Carrington are ranked 28th and 25th, respectively, in the 2026 class. Those are the likely five-stars so far. O’Neal is 63rd and Arrington is 52nd. All are four-stars or above, obviously.
As for Williams, he has been telling people that he wants to make a commitment decision before the calendar year turns over to 2025, so as long as Coach Hall and the Sooners have room, I’d expect Oklahoma to press for Williams fairly aggressively.
Despite most viewing the Sooners as the potential team to beat for Williams, there are other programs that he has his eye on like Texas and Ohio State. They are the other two teams you hear a lot about with Williams, so it won’t be easy for Oklahoma to reel the big-time safety in.
*** We hinted at multiple Rivals250 defenders set to visit Oklahoma for a game this season. Yes, we named a bunch in the note above that are visiting when Oklahoma hosts the Vols on September 21st, but that won’t be the only big visit weekend.
Sources seem to think the Bama game in
November will be one that has a chance to be another huge recruiting weekend.
.
That Bama game is also one that we continue to hear will be when OU gets to host 2026 Rivals250 EDGE rusher Jake Kruel again.
I was able to see and speak with Kreul this summer after watching him compete like a man on a mission at Rivals 5-star Challenge this past July in Jacksonville (FL). The twitchy EDGE rusher was almost impossible to block, and the fast-riser really turned some heads with his performance that week.
Kreul told OUinsider at the time that he was headed to OU again for a game, and said, “I am excited to see a SEC game there… but I’ve already been to OU two or three times already because of my relationship (with Miguel Chavis).”
The Sooners were the first big school to offer Kreul and that made a significant mark, he said.
“Coach [Miguel] Chavis was my first big offer and I will aways remember that.”
Oklahoma seems to be in a good spot early on for the 2026 IMG Academy DE. That said, Oklahoma will have its work cut out for it, with programs like Miami, Clemson, LSU, Ohio State and Texas also being teams that Kreul has his eyes on.
*** We will have more recruiting info throughout the week as OU looks to have its 2025 class almost finished, outside of Michael Fasusi deciding on Wednesday between OU, A&M and Texas, and four-star LB Christian Jones still deciding sometime in October as of today.
That means more and more 2026 content as OU heats up on big-name targets in that class. The good news is Oklahoma is off to a HOT start for that class as well. We will see if that can continue, so stay tuned to OUinsider VIP.
