Oklahoma Sooners lose out on an elite player in a Deja Vu moment that everyone could have seen coming
The Oklahoma Sooners still have what’s widely considered to be the No. 1 class in the 2027 recruiting cycle, even after losing a four-star playmaker.
The Oklahoma Sooners really liked what they saw in four-star, 2027 cornerback JuJu Johnson and hoped to land him. He was predicted by many sites to be a Sooners when he committed. However, he chose UCLA, his hometown school, over the Sooners.
This is just a complete Deja Vu moment, as they just finished as runners-up to UCLA for elite DT George Toia days ago, and have now done the same with Johnson. At the same time, this is not a massive loss for the Sooners. They still have the No. 1 class for the 2027 recruiting cycle. Not to mention, they could land another big-time corner in the class.
The writing was on the wall for OU not to land Johnson, even if all of the big recruiting sites were predicting it.
OU not landing JuJu Johnson should not be a surprise
There is hope, and some belief, that OU is going to land elite in-state CB Gabriel Osborne. He is currently projected by On3 to commit to OU over Oklahoma State. Not to mention, there are two cornerbacks they already have committed in four-star Mikhail McCreary and three-star Mikyal Davis. OU is also projected to land Trenton Blaylock, a Texas cornerback and the brother of RB Tory Blaylock. That would be a CB class of five with Johnson.
The Sooners have been pursuing Gabriel Osborne, the No. 11 cornerback in the 2027 class and No. 3 in Oklahoma. Osborne, also a standout basketball player at Mustang High School, showcases his versatility as a dual-sport athlete. Rivals projects Oklahoma to land him, though Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, and Ohio State remain strong contenders. Recently, Osborne’s basketball performance previewed his multi-sport talent. He could become a five-star player by the time he arrives on campus in 2027, regardless of where he goes.
This could be a case of a crowded class there, where Johnson may just want to go to UCLA because he could play earlier. Then again, the Sooners started a true freshman CB last year who was a three-star.
OU recruits and develops cornerbacks well, so many want to play there. Last season’s starters, Eli Bowen and Courtland Guillory, were three-stars—Bowen a sophomore, Guillory a true freshman—showing star ratings aren’t everything.
Courtland Guillory’s stats in 2025
- 33 tackles
- 7 pass breakups
- 7 penalties
Guillory was targeted 47 times last year and allowed only 22 catches for 200 yards and one touchdown. Bowen was targeted 36 times, allowed 20 catches for 220 yards and one touchdown, per Pro Football Focus. For two dudes who were lower-rated and undersized at the position, those numbers are very good.
And, you can tell that the opposing teams’ offenses thought they would be easy players to pick on because of how many times they were targeted. It’s obvious that OU is a school that develops CB talent. Maybe Johnson just wanted to go to a school that was closer, rather than across the state. We don’t know the true reason, but there are plenty we can point to and say this was easy to see coming.
