2028 four-star recruit who could be SEC-ready immediately due to his frame has Oklahoma as one of his frontrunners
The Oklahoma Sooners are going to go hard after Aden Owolabi, a four-star recruit in the 2028 recruiting class.
The Oklahoma Sooners are pushing hard to land 2028 offensive tackle Aden Owolabi, a 4-star prospect from Danville, California, who recently named OU in his top 3 schools alongside Oregon and USC.
Owolabi, a 6’6, 280-pound lineman out of San Ramon Valley, holds an 89.94 composite rating, ranks as a top-200 player nationally by Rivals and a top-50 player nationally by 247Sports. He’s also considered a top-20 player at his position and a top-15 prospect in the state of California.
Those numbers alone tell you why Oklahoma is so interested. Owolabi also holds offers from California, Stanford, UCLA, Minnesota, and BYU, but his announcement that the Sooners made his final three signals genuine mutual interest.
Where Owolabi fits for Oklahoma’s 2028 class
Right now, the Sooners have just one commitment in their 2028 recruiting class: quarterback Trey Tagliaferri. Oklahoma has been predicted to land a few other targets, including Dedrick Kimbrough, but none of those predictions have materialized yet. That doesn’t mean they won’t, but they haven’t come true so far.
Landing a prospect like Owolabi would be a significant boost for the class. That kind of size, 6’6, 280 pounds, is not something you can teach. Offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh would love to add Owolabi to the commitment list. It’s worth noting that Owolabi had no offers heading into May, then used the spring evaluation period to watch his recruitment take off. A big reason for the explosion was his performance at Rivals’ camp combined with his measurements and film.
Oklahoma has a connection, but geography favors the competition
The Sooners have a thread tying them to San Ramon Valley. Drew Samia, a multi-year starter on Oklahoma’s offensive line, came out of the same high school. That kind of pipeline matters in recruiting, even if it’s just one player. It gives the coaching staff a reference point and credibility when they walk into that building.
Still, Oregon and USC carry significant geographic advantages. Both programs sit on the West Coast, and Owolabi doesn’t have to travel halfway across the country to visit either campus. Oklahoma is not on the West Coast. That’s an obvious hurdle.
However, the Sooners have been recruiting California well over their last two cycles. Coach Brent Venables and his staff have shown they can win battles out West when they identify a target and commit to the pursuit. Owolabi appears to be one of those targets. Oklahoma is making a real push; the staff seems to really like him, and the feelings seem to be mutual. Now the Sooners need to close.
