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Sooner Legend Tries to Sway Blue-Chip In-State Prospect to Oklahoma

Gabriel Osborne Jr. is one of the top local prospects from the 2027 class, and one former Sooner is trying to get him to Norman.
Carson Field|
Mustang's Gabriel Osborne, left, celebrates a touchdown with Jaden Johnson during the high school game between Mustang and Yukon at Mustang High School in Mustang, Okla., Friday, Sept. 5, 2025.
Mustang's Gabriel Osborne, left, celebrates a touchdown with Jaden Johnson during the high school game between Mustang and Yukon at Mustang High School in Mustang, Okla., Friday, Sept. 5, 2025. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Oklahoma Sooners

Gerald McCoy hasn’t played at Oklahoma in nearly two decades, but he’s doing his part in helping the Sooners stay atop the college football world.

McCoy, a two-time All-American defensive lineman at OU who later played 10 seasons in the NFL, posted an encouraging message to Class of 2027 4-star defensive back prospect Gabriel Osborne Jr. on X (formerly Twitter).

“A little birdie told me that the next possible Sooner great is right at home in Oklahoma,” McCoy said in his post. “You want historic and legacy? You want a chance to compete for championships? You want a chance to play at the next level at a high level? You know what to do youngin’.”

Osborne is graded as a 4-star recruit by all major recruiting services. 247Sports ranks him as the No. 25 overall player and the No. 2 player from Oklahoma in the 2027 class.

During his junior season at Mustang High School, Osborne registered 65 tackles, three tackles for loss, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble.

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Parker Thune of Rivals reported last week that Osborne had narrowed his list of schools down to five: OU, Alabama, Miami, Michigan and Ohio State.

Now, he is being persuaded by one of the most dominant defensive Sooners in recent memory. McCoy was a two-time First Team All-Big 12 pick and later made six Pro Bowl appearances while playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Time will tell if McCoy’s recruiting pitch leads Osborne to Norman. But a message from a Sooner legend certainly can’t hurt.

Sooners offer another 2028 QB

Oklahoma has now offered several quarterbacks from the Class of 2028, as Trey Wright announced an offer from the Sooners on Saturday.

A native of Frisco, TX, Wright stands 5-11 and weighs 180 pounds. He is a consensus 3-star recruit.

As a sophomore at Lone Star High School, Wright completed 67.4 percent of his passes for 4,042 yards, 38 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also rushed for 1,764 yards and 16 touchdowns on 163 carries during his breakout campaign.

Wright is the fifth signal caller from the 2028 class to pick up an OU offer, joining Trey Tagliaferri, Graham Simpson, Brady Quinn and Gavin Strang.

Other schools that have offered Wright include Missouri, Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Kansas and Baylor.

OU predicted to land highly touted athlete

Bode Sparrow has long been on the Sooners’ radar, and it seems like OU is gaining momentum in his recruitment.

Rivals’ Adam Gorney logged an expert prediction on Saturday for Sparrow, who plays both safety and wide receiver, to commit to Oklahoma.

Hailing from Kaysville, UT, Sparrow is ranked as a 4-star prospect by all major recruiting networks. He is the No. 69 overall recruit in 247Sports’ composite rankings for the 2027 class.

Sparrow caught 83 passes for 1,218 yards and 16 touchdowns during his junior year at Davis (UT) High School. He also logged 71 tackles, seven interceptions, 6.5 tackles for loss, three pass breakups and two pick-sixes at safety.

Sparrow has an official visit scheduled to Oklahoma next weekend, and he also has visits to Oregon, Utah and BYU on his calendar.

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Carson Field
CARSON FIELD

Carson Field has worked full-time in the sports media industry since 2020 in Colorado, Texas and Wyoming as well as nationally, and he has earned degrees from Arizona State University and Texas A&M University. When he isn’t covering the Sooners, he’s likely golfing, fishing or doing something else outdoors. Twitter: https://x.com/carsondfield

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