How Oklahoma’s Coaches, Players ‘Poured Into’ DE Jake Kreul During Spring

Jake Kreul was the Sooners' highest-rated signee from the Class of 2026, but he knows that he still has plenty of developing left to do.

Oklahoma defensive end Jake Kreul | Carson Field / Sooners On SI

NORMAN — As a 5-star prospect in the Class of 2026, Jake Kreul had the opportunity to pick where he wanted to play college football.

Kreul, an edge rusher who played high school football at IMG Academy, was the No. 21 overall prospect in the 2026 class, per ESPN. The defensive end earned an offer from nearly every major program before narrowing his list down to Oklahoma, Texas and Ole Miss.

OU was one of the first schools to pursue Kreul, and early into the recruiting process, the prospect admired defensive ends coach Miguel Chavis’ character and transparency.

“What I saw throughout the recruiting process, I believed in it,” Kreul said. “I knew we would win games.”

Kreul announced his commitment to Oklahoma in June 2025 before enrolling at the university in January. Since arriving in Norman, Kreul and his true freshman teammates underwent winter workouts before competing in their month-long spring practice period.

Only a few months into his time at OU, Kreul’s opinions about Chavis and the program as a whole haven’t changed.

“Some people try to say that like when you get recruited and then when you get on campus, it's different. That wasn't the case here,” Kreul said. “All these coaches have been the exact same people. They've poured into me the exact same way.”

Kreul is listed at 6-3 and 230 pounds. As a high school senior in 2025, he registered 36 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, 15 quarterback hurries, four sacks, three forced fumbles and two pass breakups.

But despite his proven production at the high school level, Kreul knows that he must develop significantly to become similarly impactful for the Sooners. He cited his physique and his ability to create leverage against opposing offensive linemen as two of his key areas for improvement.

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Kreul’s trust in Chavis has allowed him to make strides in both of those areas in only a few months of work in Norman.

“When I met him, I saw that he was someone that I wanted to be like when I’m older and take characteristics from him,” Kreul said. “He’s super personable and he knows how to press my buttons to get me going. He’s been super upfront with me… what do I need to get better at? Where am I lacking? What am I doing well? I think that’s huge when it comes to developing a player.”

Kreul likely won’t be a starter in Year 1, as Oklahoma’s defensive ends room is deep. Taylor Wein will hold down one of the starting spots, while Danny Okoye or Adepoju Adebawore will likely start on the opposite side.

In addition to the lessons learned from Chavis, Kreul has leaned on the Sooners’ veteran edge rushers to continue his development.

“They say I’m the mini (Wein) — I’m always at his hip,” Kreul said. “Not only him — Danny Okoye, PJ Adebawore… I’ve changed as a player since I’ve been here. I’ve seen the development. It’s been awesome.”

Though Kreul may not be a starter as a true freshman, he’ll likely be a regular contributor on OU’s defensive line.

And based on the last five months, Kreul’s veteran teammates believe he’s ready to make an impact.

“The best players are the ones who are always going to ask questions,” Wein said. “He blows up my phone 24/7 with the best questions. Even before he got here, he was asking questions about our defense. That’s special.”

Okoye said, “He really bought in with the standard we have here at the University of Oklahoma. It wasn’t a ‘having to convince you to start pulling your weight’ type of thing, but more of a ‘how much weight I can pull’ type. I really like that.”