Oklahoma Freshman DB Niko Jandreau Leaning on Brother, Older Teammates in New Setting

NORMAN — In some regards, Niko Jandreau came to Oklahoma wanting a change of scenery.

Jandreau is a true freshman safety from Chandler, AZ. He had never seen snow until the Oklahoma City metropolitan area got roughly nine inches in late January.

The early enrollee also knew that he’d have to leave the west side of the country to play at the program that he saw as the best fit.

“I think being on the west side, getting recruited by a lot of schools over there… getting the opportunity to come down south, play more in this region, just being able to experience a new, different type of life is good,” Jandreau said. “It’s definitely been different, but it’s been good doing what I have to do.”

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Jandreau earned offers from several other major programs, including USC, Missouri, Arizona State and Cal.

Ultimately, OU coach Brent Venables’ defensive mind led Jandreau to Norman.

“He’s intense, and that’s what I wanted as my leader,” Jandreau said. “Just proud to be a part of this defense.”

While so much of Jandreau’s new life in Norman has been different, there is one constant — his twin brother, Beau, is right by his side.

Beau Jandreau is a linebacker who also signed with OU from the Class of 2026.

Throughout both of their recruitments, the dream was to play alongside one another. And now, it’s a reality.

“He’s my best friend,” Niko said. “The only kids that my parents have. I can’t describe to you how it feels. Being able to get that opportunity, it’s just a blessing.”

Unsurprisingly, the Jandreau brothers are also roommates. Niko said that the dynamic between the two hasn’t changed much in spite of the fact that they’re no longer in Arizona.

“If I tell him to clean up or something, he might get mad, but it’s just how it was back home,” Jandreau said.

Niko admitted that he spends much of his free time with his brother and some of their other freshman teammates. But he also has leaned upon those who have played on Venables’ defense for longer.

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“(I’ve) been tapping in with (safeties Michael) Boganowski and Peyton Bowen, all those guys, so they’ve definitely been doing a good job of keeping me in line and keeping me on a good path,” Jandreau said.

The Jandreau brothers play different positions. But they still share the same room each night, meaning that they see each other more often than anyone else.

Niko believes that the two can learn from each other, thanks to their competitive bond and lessons that each they learn early into their time in Norman.

“He plays a different position, but just trying to understand what he does and correlate my game to that,” Jandreau said. “Just that competition that we always had growing up, it’s good for us.”