Takeaways From Day One of the Brent Venables Football Camp
NORMAN — The second edition of the Brent Venables Football Camp is off to a great start for Oklahoma, with many talented players flocking to Norman to showcase their skills in front of the OU coaching staff.
With three Sooner commits, multiple players who have received offers from Oklahoma and many more who could garner interest down the road, there was a lot to see inside Everest Training Center on Thursday.
OU quarterback commits Michael Hawkins and Kevin Sperry showed why they are such highly touted recruits, putting on a masterful passing display with Sooners offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby watching closely. Both QBs connected on impressive deep balls in the one-on-one reps, throwing beautiful spirals 40-50 yards downfield.
Between drills, Lebby coached up his future signal-callers, giving the rising junior and senior a taste of what their collegiate careers will hold. Both Hawkins and Sperry showed off a quick release as well as the confidence to hit any throw they were asked to make.
In addition to Lebby, current Sooner QBs Jackson Arnold and General Booty helped coach the high school campers.
OU wide receiver commit Zion Kearney also had a tremendous showing, performing very well in the first session of drills before his day came to a close. Kearney's explosive speed was on display as the 2024 wideout from Hightower (TX) High school beat multiple defensive backs down the field for long touchdown catches in one-on-one reps.
Maliek Hawkins, younger brother of Michael Hawkins and 2024 OU defensive back target, was part of an impressive group of uncommitted Sooners' targets in attendance. The Frisco (TX) Emerson product battled with the top wide receivers in one-on-one drills, competing very well against multiple talented prospects.
Oklahoma cornerbacks coach Jay Valai coached Hawkins very closely, indicating that the talented defender is a serious target for OU. In addition to the Sooners, Hawkins currently holds offers from Arkansas and Texas State.
Two 2025 in-state targets, Elijah Thomas of Checotah (OK) and Jaden Nickens of OKC Millwood, also performed well on the first camp date. Both wideouts made explosive plays downfield that got Oklahoma wide receiver LV Bunkley-Shelton to leap in the air with excitement.
In particular, Nickens made an incredible leaping grab, plucking the ball out of the air over the outstretched arms of a defensive back.
Thomas utilized his speed and quickness to run past almost every defensive back he faced. The Checotah standout has been blowing up on the recruiting trail, receiving offers from big-time programs like OU and Alabama.
Both players told AllSooners that they enjoyed getting to catch passes from OU QB commits, praising both Hawkins and Sperry. Additionally, Nickens spoke very highly of the Sooners' coaching staff.
"Being a kid from Millwood and getting that offer, it means a lot," Nickens told AllSooners. "Getting an offer, and getting it from Coach Emmett (Jones) and Coach Brent Venables and knowing that their love is really pure and that they want me and want me to be a good man weather I come here or not. ... Getting that offer just meant a lot because I felt the passion in their voice when they gave it to me."
Nickens is a 4-star wideout holding over 10 offers, currently rated the No. 2 player in Oklahoma.
Ka'Mori Moore, a 2025 defensive lineman from Lee's Summit North (MO) High School, was also able to showcase his skillset to the OU coaching staff on Thursday. The talented d-lineman holds six offers, including one from the Sooners.
Moore is the teammate of 2024 5-star defensive lineman Williams Nwaneri. At Lee's Summit North, the two are coached by former Oklahoma running back Jamar Mozee.
Brock Boyd, a 2026 wide receiver from Southlake Carroll (TX) made multiple head-turning plays in both the morning and afternoon session of one-on-ones.
First, the skilled pass catcher made a contested one-handed catch, later going on to showcase his crisp route-running ability. Boyd made big plays against some of the top DBs at the camp, including multiple players with Power 5 offers.
The rising sophomore impressed Jones so much that he was extended an offer following his remarkable performance.
"I love the facilities here; I’ve had family that’s come here," Boyd said after receiving the offer. "My grandparents, my uncles, they’re all big supporters. It’s a big-time football place."
At one point, Jones moved Boyd to the front of the line to get a rep against Thomas. Boyd used an incredible move to get open down the field, making a great over the shoulder snag.
Boyd and his family spoke very highly of Jones, who previously recruited Boyd to Texas Tech. The Southlake Carroll standout's older brother, Brady, is currently a wideout for the Red Raiders.
Kobi Foreman, Mike Peterson Jr. and Kyran Pate are all 2025 prospects on OU's radar who impressed at the first day of the Brent Venables Football Camp. Foreman, Peterson Jr. and Pate all hold Division I offers from multiple programs around the country.
While none of the aforementioned recruits have an offer from the Sooners, they could very well earn one in the future after what they put on display in front of the Oklahoma coaching staff on Thursday.
Finally, 2027 QB Rozzi Sperry is going to be a prospect that OU coaches have their eyes on in the coming years. Despite having just completed middle school, the younger brother of 2025 QB commit Kevin Sperry can already throw a tight spiral with accuracy on a consistent basis.
The young signal-caller competed with the high school quarterbacks on Thursday and showed that he is up to par with his older counterparts.
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