Oklahoma Sooners storm into west coast, flip elite recruit who could completely change the defense away from bitter rival
The Oklahoma Sooners reel in a game-changing recruit in Taven Epps, flipping him away from bitter rival Texas Longhorns
The Oklahoma Sooners are rolling, on and off the field, in perhaps one of the best months in program history. On the field, they have gone undefeated in “Red November,” taking down the Tennessee Volunteers, Alabama Crimson Tide, Missouri Tigers, and LSU Tigers to punch their ticket to the College Football Playoff.
Off the field, they’ve stormed the gates of some of the nation’s best, flipping elite 2026 running back Jonathan Hatton away from Texas A&M, as well as some other elite recruiting flips.
They’ve done it again, this time officially flipping an elite recruit away from a hated rival in another hated school’s own backyard. This is a massive win for an Oklahoma recruiting class that is already shaping up to be their best in years.
Taven Epps could be program-changing commit
What Jim Nagy has done as general manager of the Sooners cannot be understated. The front office has been relentless in its pursuit of talent across the board in every recruiting class, and it is stacking up win after win as a result of that.
Epps is a perfect example. Stacey Ford, Oklahoma’s Director of Player Personnel and Retainment, has lit a fire on Oklahoma’s recruiting on the West Coast and has been a key figure in its momentum on the trail over the last several months since he was hired. He helped lead the charge to bring Epps to Norman.
A four-star, borderline five-star recruit out of California, Epps is one of the top linebackers in the 2027 class. 247Sports has him rated as the fifth-best LB in the class, while ESPN has him as the top-ranked linebacker overall. The Sooners already have the No. 1 ranked recruiting class in 2027 after the commitment of Krew Jones, but Epps would give them a commanding lead over Texas A&M for the top spot.
A jaw-dropping athlete, Epps is a versatile defensive weapon straight out of high school. At 6-4, 210 pounds, he brings a massive frame with tremendous athleticism. Epps has played safety and linebacker with the body type to grow into even a full-time edge rusher. He is yet another dominant multi-sport athlete that this staff has prioritized in recent months.
Getting a player like Epps with Brent Venables could be a dream pairing for Oklahoma. There’s a possibility Epps has the athleticism and versatility to fit into what Isaiah Simmons brought for Venables at Clemson, and that’s a very, very exciting outcome for everyone involved. Flipping Epps away from the Texas Longhorns makes it that much sweeter.
Oklahoma Sooners News
Oklahoma Sooners have something else to be thankful for after massive recruiting win just in time for the holidays
The Oklahoma Sooners added a potential game-changing talent with the commitment of 2026 recruit Jayden Petit
