Sooners have another game-day visit scheduled with an elite 2028 recruit, and this one has Brent Venables’ fingerprints all over it
The Oklahoma Sooners have to love what they have seen from 2028 edge rusher Major Stokes.
The Oklahoma Sooners have a game-day visit scheduled with one of the best players in the 2028 recruiting class. Four-star edge rusher Major Stokes out of Utah will visit Norman on Sept. 19 when Oklahoma hosts New Mexico.
Stokes is a 6’5, 240-pound pass rusher who ranks as a top-30 player nationally according to 247Sports, the No. 8 edge rusher in the country, and the No. 3 player in the state of Utah with a 92.56 composite rating. The Sooners face steep competition for Stokes. Rivals currently has Michigan at a 98.3% prediction rate, with Miami, BYU, Alabama, and Penn State also in the mix. But Oklahoma is far from out of it.
Why this visit matters
Stokes has only taken three visits so far: Clemson, Michigan, and Miami. That means the Sooners will get one of his earliest remaining looks, and game day visits in Norman have a track record of shifting momentum in recruitments. When kids walk into that stadium, see the history, feel the atmosphere, and experience the fan base, it tends to change the picture.
Sometimes it ends up being the visit that shows them what they could be a part of at Oklahoma. After his trip to Norman, Stokes will visit Michigan, Alabama, Miami, USC, and Utah on Nov. 7. The Sooners need to make every moment count on Sept. 19.
What Stokes would bring to Oklahoma
Landing an edge rusher with Stokes’ size and ability would be massive for the Sooners’ 2028 class. At 6’5, 240 pounds, he has the frame and tools to be SEC-ready as a true freshman by the time he arrives on campus. Would he play right away? Nobody knows. Coach Brent Venables plays young guys, but only when they’re ready. That said, the potential is obvious.
Oklahoma currently has just one commitment in its 2028 recruiting class in quarterback Trey Tagliaferri. Adding a player of Stokes’ caliber would be a significant building block for a class that is still in its early stages.
Where it stands
Michigan is the clear favorite right now, and the road ahead includes visits to some of the biggest programs in the country. Just because Michigan is favored doesn’t mean Oklahoma doesn’t have a chance. The Sooners are going to have to go all out during this visit to show Stokes he could be one of the next great edge rushers at the University of Oklahoma. Game day visits in Norman have changed everything for recruits before, and there is no reason this one cannot do the same.
