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Oklahoma Elite Junior Day is Brent Venables' Biggest Recruiting Event Yet

From future quarterback prospects to 5-star defensive linemen to talent throughout the SEC footprint to several local recruits, OU coaches have a busy recruiting weekend.
John E. Hoover|
Oklahoma Elite Junior Day is Brent Venables' Biggest Recruiting Event Yet
Oklahoma Elite Junior Day is Brent Venables' Biggest Recruiting Event Yet

The Brent Venables era at Oklahoma just began, but the Sooners continue to push the envelope in recruiting.

OU is hosting its third elite Junior Day this weekend in Norman, and it’s the biggest one yet.

More than 40 prospects in the 2023 and 2024 classes are in town to take in what Venables and the Sooner program has to offer.

The list includes quarterbacks, 5-star defensive tackles, prospects from the nation’s hottest recruiting hotbeds, and even a few members of the 2025 class.

D.J. Lagway is a 6-foot-2, 215-pound quarterback in the 2024 class from Willis, TX, who is considering offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Baylor, Florida, Georgia, Penn State, TCU, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, West Virginia and others.

Ryder Hayes is a 6-foot, 170-pound 2024 QB from Grandview, TX whose recruiting is just now getting started.

LB/DE Zina Umeozulu is a 5-star prospect, according to 247 Sports, who has offers from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas A&M, USC and others. The 6-4, 210-pound Umeozulu is one of several Sooner targets from Allen, TX.

The Sooners are also doing work deep in SEC country as well. They’re getting a visit this weekend from defensive lineman Hevin Brown-Shuler, a 6-4, 290-pound 5-star in the 2024 class from Atlanta. He has offers from Arkansas, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M and USC, among others.

OU is also going hard after 2024 prospect T.A. Cunningham, a 5-star defensive lineman from Alpharetta, GA. The 6-6, 265-pound Cunningham has offers from Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Oregon, TCU, Texas, Texas A&M, USC and Utah, among others.

The Sooners have several offensive linemen on campus as well. Brycen Sanders, a 2023 4-star offensive lineman from Chattanooga, TN, is 6-5, 280 and has offers from Arkansas, Auburn, Cincinnati, Georgia, LSU, Michigan State, Stanford, TCU and Tennessee, among others.

Here's a sampling of some of the other prospects in Norman this weekend for OU Elite Junior Day:

2023 DT Kayden McDonald, 4-star, 6-3, 310, Suwanee, GA 

2023 CB Makari Vickers, 4-star, 6-1, 180, Tallahassee

2023 RB Jacobe Fowler, 5-11, 210, Lakeland, FL 

2024 CB Brayshon Williams, 6-0, 170, Lakeland, FL

2024 OT Ezra Ballinger, 6-5, 255, Tulsa 

2023 RB Devin Strange, 6-1, 220, Argyle, TX

2024 RB Nathan Adejokun, 6-0, 170, Melissa, TX

2024 CB KaDavion Dodson, 5-10, 180, Duncanville, TX

2024 OL Jordan Seaton, 4-star, 6-6, 295, Washington, DC

2025 RB/CB Ryan Grayson, 6-1, 165, Beggs, OK

2023 OT Trevor Goosby, 6-6, 280, Melissa, TX 

2025 RB Ravian Larry, 5-10, 180, Idabel 

2024 WR Kennedy Brantley, 6-4, 190, Melissa, TX 

2024 ATH Mario Craver, 5-11, 160, Pinson, AL

2024 S Kenyan Kelly, 6-1, 180, Denison, TX 

2025 RB Caden Knighten, 5-10, 175, Wynnewood 

2024 DL Jeremiah Beamen, 6-4, 265, Birmingham, AL 

2024 RB Stacy Gage, 5-11, 200, Bradenton, FL 

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John E. Hoover
JOHN E. HOOVER

John is an award-winning journalist whose work spans five decades in Oklahoma, with multiple state, regional and national awards as a sportswriter at various newspapers. During his newspaper career, John covered the Dallas Cowboys, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma State Cowboys, the Arkansas Razorbacks and much more. In 2016, John changed careers, migrating into radio and launching a YouTube channel, and has built a successful independent media company, DanCam Media. From there, John has written under the banners of Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Fan Nation and a handful of local and national magazines while hosting daily sports talk radio shows in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and statewide. John has also spoken on Capitol Hill in Oklahoma City in a successful effort to put more certified athletic trainers in Oklahoma public high schools. Among the dozens of awards he has won, John most cherishes his national "Beat Writer of the Year" from the Associated Press Sports Editors, Oklahoma's "Best Sports Column" from the Society of Professional Journalists, and Two "Excellence in Sports Medicine Reporting" Awards from the National Athletic Trainers Association. John holds a bachelor's degree in Mass Communications from East Central University in Ada, OK. Born and raised in North Pole, Alaska, John played football and wrote for the school paper at Ada High School in Ada, OK. He enjoys books, movies and travel, and lives in Broken Arrow, OK, with his wife and two kids.

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