Oklahoma Sooners get the best news they could have asked for in recruiting during a time they desperately need something positive
The Oklahoma Sooners have added their second pledge to their 2028 recruiting class in tight end Connor Arant.
The Oklahoma Sooners have landed their second player in the 2028 recruiting class, and this time it’s an in-state kid from Bixby, Oklahoma. Connor Arant, a four-star tight end prospect, committed to OU over Ohio State, Nebraska, Alabama, and Texas Tech, giving the Sooners another win at a position that has become a recruiting pipeline under tight ends coach Jason Witten.
Arant stands at 6-5, 225 pounds and carries an 86.66 composite rating per Rivals. He’s a top-200 prospect nationally, the No. 12 tight end in the 2028 class, and the No. 4 player in the state of Oklahoma. He joins quarterback Trey Tagliaferri as the only two commits in the Sooners’ 2028 class so far.
Jason Witten’s impact on tight end recruiting continues
When Oklahoma hired Witten, the Hall of Fame tight end and former Dallas Cowboys star, to coach tight ends, the expectation was clear: the Sooners would recruit the position at an elite level year in and year out. That expectation has played out exactly as anticipated.
Before Witten arrived, the Sooners had already landed Hayden Hansen and Rocky Beers. After his hiring, the influx continued with Seneca Driver, the No. 1 tight end in the 2027 class, committing to OU. Arant is the latest addition to that growing list, and the pattern speaks for itself. As long as Witten is coaching that room, high-end tight end prospects are going to keep finding their way to Norman.
Arant took three visits to Oklahoma, two to Ohio State, and one each to Alabama, Nebraska, and Texas Tech. Ohio State had an 18.3% chance to land him per Rivals, but it was never a real contest. On his commitment post, Arant made his feelings about the decision abundantly clear.
“I’m home, Boomer Sooner,” he said.
Why the Sooners need tight ends who can do it all
The timing of this commitment matters. Last Saturday’s loss to the Michigan Wolverines exposed some real concerns about Oklahoma’s offense. The Sooners will need tight ends who can contribute in multiple ways: as receivers who can get open and catch the ball, and as blockers who can hold up at the point of attack. Arant profiles as a player who can do both.
He played at Jenks in 2024 before transferring to Bixby, one of the most dominant high school football programs in Oklahoma history. That kind of competitive background matters when projecting a player’s readiness for SEC football. The 2026 season will be Arant’s junior year, and it will be worth watching how he develops heading into his senior campaign. The Sooners have built something real at tight end under Witten, and Arant’s commitment only strengthens that foundation.
