Oklahoma has a long, decorated history of sending players into the NFL. They are fourth all-time in players drafted for a reason. Coaches to the NFL, however? That's a different story. 

The last time a coach left Oklahoma for the NFL was Chuck Fairbanks, all the way back in 1972. Fairbanks, the head coach of the Sooners from 1967 to 1972, left to be the head coach of the New England Patriots (a move that fell apart just a few years later). 

However, Oklahoma might have another coach drawing NFL attention. You might think a coach like Bill Bedenbaugh would be the name listed. After all, he's arguably the best NFL developer in college football right now, so it would make sense for him to be on NFL radars. You'd be wrong. 

Perhaps running backs coach DeMarco Murray would be the name listed? He was a successful NFL running back with the Cowboys, Eagles, and Titans, and he's produced several NFL rushers while with the Sooners and Arizona Cardinals. He is also not the name listed.

What about defensive line coach Todd Bates, who developed multiple first-round picks with the Clemson Tigers, and has done a tremendous job coaching up Oklahoma's defensive line? He isn't the name either. 

On his latest coaching watchlist, NFL insider Tom Pelissero listed Oklahoma assistant head coach/co-defensive coordinator/cornerbacks coach Jay Valai among college coaches on the NFL's radars. 

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At first glance, I was initially surprised to see Valai's name pop up so soon. After all, he's only been coaching since 2016, which isn't a long time in the coaching world (I was also in high school then, so I might be coping just a smidgen, deal with it). 

Naturally, I had to reach out to some sources about this. Unfortunately, I didn't get much about his time with the Chiefs, but one source had this to say about Valai:

"Listen, I don't know much about him. But Kirby Smart, Andy Reid, Nick Saban, and Brent Venables don't hire you without you knowing your s[tuff]." 

Valai has had a meteoric rise to his current position with the Sooners. After spending most of his post-playing career as a personal trainer for recruits, he was hired by Kirby Smart as a defensive quality control coach in 2016. After just two seasons, Valai was hired in the same role by the Kansas City Chiefs. 

He would then go on to be the cornerbacks coach for Rutgers in 2019 under Chris Ash before following Ash to Texas in 2020 in the same role. Valai then bounced from coaching cornerbacks for the Houston Cougars to the Philadelphia Eagles to the Alabama Crimson Tide all within the span of a month following the 2020 season. 

Before arriving at Oklahoma in 2022, Valai had been a coach at seven different stops since 2016. 

While Valai hasn't had the long run of player development other coaches on the Sooners have had under Brent Venables, it's obvious he has been critical in the Sooners' defensive turnaround. He was promoted to assistant head coach at Oklahoma after just two seasons, and his cornerback room is full of upside for the future with the likes of Eli Bowen and Jacobe Johnson. 

Brent Venables hasn't had much staff turnover under his tenure. Hopefully, for the Sooners, Valai sticks around, but seeing him earn NFL attention is an encouraging sign of his ability.