Oklahoma Sooners circling back on playmakers committed to other schools who may have regrets on their first choice

The Oklahoma Sooners are looking to add former priority 2026 recruits who have committed to other schools

AJ Schulte — College Football Trending News Writer
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Oct 4, 2025; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Isaiah Sategna III (5) tries to avoid the tackle of Kent State Golden Flashes safety Brodyn Bishop (28) during the second half at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.

The Oklahoma Sooners have gotten off to a hot start in their 2025 season, with their first 5-0 start since 2023 and second under head coach Brent Venables. The Sooners are sixth in the country, with key wins over the Michigan Wolverines and Auburn Tigers, and are looking to take down bitter rival Texas Longhorns this weekend to start 6-0 for the third time since 2020.

With their momentum, the coaching staff is turning back to prior top priority recruits who previously committed elsewhere after Oklahoma’s disastrous 2024 season. With the negative recruiting at least temporarily stifled, the Sooners are turning their attention to a pair of playmakers who committed to other schools that haven’t quite gotten off to the same start as Oklahoma has enjoyed this season.

Specifically, the Sooners have begun reaching out to wide receivers Jayden Petit, who committed to Wisconsin, and Davian Groce, a current Florida Gators commit, to gauge their interest in joining the Sooners’ offense. If Oklahoma can flip these players before Early Signing Day, their recruiting momentum would instantly get back on track after a stumble in 2025 and the early portions of the 2026 class.

Oklahoma 2026 Recruiting Class Info

  • The Sooners currently have 20 players committed to Oklahoma in their 2026 class
  • According to 247Sports, the Sooners’ 2026 class is ranked 21st overall
  • Top recruits: EDGE Jake Kreul, QB Bowe Bentley, LB Jakore Smith

Can the Sooners flip star receivers?

The Sooners have already added three wide receivers to their 2026 recruiting class, but with a bevy of NFL Draft candidates and seniors in the room, they are aiming to make 2026 a huge haul. There is a realm where Oklahoma takes as many as five or six wide receivers in their 2026 class.

To do so, however, they need to end on a high note with their latest targets. Petit and Groce are the top priorities for the Sooners to circle back to here. Petit, a big bodied 6’4, 220-pound target, is fresh off of a nine receptions, 301 yards, and three touchdown performance last weekend, and gives the Sooners a totally different body type than they have in the receiver room. He’s a stereotypical height/weight/speed wide receiver. With Wisconsin’s struggles and a head coach potentially on the hot seat, the Sooners might be sensing some “blood in the water” here to take advantage of.

Groce’s situation is much the same. It felt like Groce was a Sooner lock right up until commitment day when he flipped after Florida raised their offer and the Sooners refused to counter. Florida is fresh off of an upset victory over Texas, but they have struggled throughout the season, and Billy Napier could be fired soon. Oklahoma might be in a holding pattern here, but Groce would be a dynamic threat to add to Ben Arbuckle’s offense.

Those two aren’t the only offers Oklahoma has out there at wide receiver. Four-star Milan Parris, another big-bodied perimeter threat at 6’4, 205-pounds, is a current Iowa State commit. However, the Sooners recently extended an offer here, and Parris visited the Sooners last weekend. Parris has picked up steam recently with offers from the Sooners, Miami, and Oregon all seeking his services.

I think the Sooners should go all in on adding Groce, simply because his skillset is a complete difference-maker as a full-threat weapon, and then add one of Petit or Parris. For my money, Petit feels the most likely, given Oklahoma’s prior relationship with him and the fact that the Sooners don’t have to compete with the money that Oregon or Miami can shell out for any recruit. However, with their momentum on the field, don’t count Oklahoma out in any battle moving forward.

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