How Oklahoma’s Persistence Brought Edge Rusher Jake Kreul to Norman

NORMAN — Just about every major college football program offered Jake Kreul, but Oklahoma’s defensive-mindedness and persistence brought him to Norman.

Kreul, a blue-chip edge rusher in the Class of 2026, signed with OU in December.

The Sooners offered Kreul on Nov. 1, 2023, when he was still a high-school sophomore. OU was the second SEC school and only the eighth Power Four program to offer him.

In the more than two years between when he received his OU offer and when he signed, Kreul decided that he didn’t want to play anywhere else.

“I think they just recognized me early,” Kreul said. “I think throughout the whole coaching staff, there was so much consistency with the level of coaching. It was so high. No matter who’s here, as long as (OU coach Brent Venables) is here, I’m going to be in good standing.”

Kreul was graded as a 5-star prospect by ESPN and a 4-star by Rivals and 247Sports. ESPN ranked him as the No. 25 overall prospect in the Class of 2026, and he logged 36 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, four sacks and 15 quarterback hurries as a senior at IMG Academy.

Kreul announced his commitment to OU on the Pat McAfee Show on Aug. 12 — but he pledged to the Sooners long before that.

The edge rusher secretly committed to Oklahoma on June 20, when he took an official visit to Norman. Though Texas and Ole Miss were the other finalists at Kreul’s commitment announcement, he saw Oklahoma’s culture as unmatched.

“They kind of sold me on faith over fear,” Kreul said. “What I saw throughout the recruiting process, I believed in it and I knew it would lead to winning games. It made it easy for me.”

Though Kreul enrolled at OU with several stars next to his name, he didn’t come to Norman with any entitlement.

During his first few months on campus, Kreul has leaned on OU’s defensive coaches and its veterans in the defensive ends room, as well as outgoing players like R Mason Thomas.

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Kreul believes that being a “sponge” has allowed him to develop as both a player and an athlete.

“There’s a lot I have to learn,” Kreul said. “It’s been great having these seniors — they’ve poured into me so much. I got so much information from all these coaches, and I feel like that’s been a real difference maker. I’ve changed as a player, and it’s been awesome.”

Kreul is one of many true freshmen who could see a notable role in 2026.

Oklahoma’s defensive ends room will be without Thomas and Marvin Jones Jr., though the Sooners will return Taylor Wein, Danny Okoye and Adepoju Adebawore. He likely won’t be a Year 1 starter, but Kreul will likely see a fairly high snap count.

Kreul has yet to put pads on as a member of Oklahoma’s football team. But over the course of his first several weeks in Norman, things have been as great as he imagined when he signed his letter of intent in December.

And because of that, Kreul expects to thrive as a member of the Sooners’ defense.

“I’ve wanted to do (play college football) for so long, and now that it’s here, it’s kind of surreal,” Kreul said. “It’s been awesome. The coaches have been the same since they recruited me. Nothing I can complain about.”