Why Freshman WR Jayden Petit's Teammates Believe he can be 'That Guy' at Oklahoma

Jayden Petit signed with the Sooners in December, and since his arrival, the wide receiver has leaned on his older teammates.

Oklahoma wide receiver Jayden Petit | Carson Field / Sooners On SI

NORMAN — Oklahoma never gave up on Jayden Petit.

Petit, a wide receiver from the Class of 2026, committed to Wisconsin on June 26, 2025, despite holding offers from the Sooners and several other major programs. His decision to pledge with the Badgers came just a few weeks after Petit took an official visit to OU.

Even so, the Sooners stayed persistent. OU hosted Petit for a gameday visit on Oct. 25, when the Sooners battled Ole Miss.

Though Oklahoma lost that game 34-26, Petit caught a glimpse of what it would be like to play for the Sooners.

“I was really just trying to see if I made the right decision, trying to weigh out the pros and cons of things,” Petit said in March.

One month later, Petit flipped his commitment from Wisconsin to Oklahoma.

A native of Naples, FL, Petit was a consensus 4-star recruit and the No. 93 overall prospect in the class, per 247Sports. He was one of 25 players that OU signed from the Class of 2026.

Petit expressed gratitude to Wisconsin’s staff for its efforts throughout his recruitment — but the wide receiver also admitted that his decision to flip to Oklahoma felt freeing.

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“Decommitting is a very hard process, but once I did, I felt like it was a good decision for me,” Petit said.

Petit said that his first few months in Norman reaffirmed his decision. 

According to the wideout, OU’s coaches have been the same since his arrival as they were during the recruiting process. That makes him believe his experience at OU will surpass his expectations.

“They just showed me how consistent they were when they were recruiting me,” Petit said. “I'm definitely very excited.”

Petit said that time management has been the hardest part of his adjustment to college football. 

Thankfully for him, several other wide receivers on Oklahoma’s roster have ample experience. Petit credited Isaiah Sategna, Trell Harris and Parker Livingstone for helping him acclimate quickly to his new scenery.

“They all come from different backgrounds, different places,” Petit said. “It’s been a cool experience, just seeing what they've learned, what I can translate to my game.”

Petit stands 6-4 and weighs 220 pounds. Livingstone — who caught 29 passes for 516 yards and six touchdowns at Texas in 2025 — is listed at 6-3 and 202 pounds.

With a similar frame, Petit believes that he can learn plenty from Livingstone.

“He has a lot of experience with playing in actual games,” Petit said. “Just trying to see and pick his brain and see what I can get from him.”

Petit participated in winter workouts after enrolling in January. The receiver then competed throughout spring ball before appearing in OU’s spring game on April 18.

Though Petit only logged one catch for five yards in the Sooners’ intrasquad exhibition, he is confident that he can be a contributor in Year 1.

“I feel like I can make a pretty big impact,” Petit said. “I just have to play the game I'm used to playing and just see how it goes.”

Between Sategna, Livingstone and Harris and others like Manny Choice, Elijah Thomas and Jer’Michael Carter, OU’s wide receiver room is deep. As a result, Petit may never get first-team reps as a true freshman.

But Choice, a redshirt freshman, believes Petit’s mindset makes him someone who could see a role early into his collegiate career.

“Jayden’s a guy, he’s going to be that guy,” Choice said. “He comes in with his head down, doesn't say anything, just works.”