Who Might Oklahoma Choose to Represent the Program at SEC Media Days?

Big 12 Media Days has come and gone, marking one of the last major events of the college football offseason before teams link up for fall camp across the country.

The ACC is up next, with the Southeastern Conference soon to follow from July 20-23 in Tampa.

Oklahoma will take the podium on July 20, coming off a return to the College Football Playoff in 2025.

Head coach Brent Venables will lead the contingent, and he’ll likely be flanked by three of his players at the largest media day extravaganza in the sport.

Here are the players who could join Venables in representing the program in Tampa.

Quarterback John Mateer

Oklahoma Sooners, John Mateer — Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer looks on at one of the Sooners' spring practices. | Carson Field, Sooners On SI

The one player who is nailed on to travel to Tampa is the OU quarterback.

John Mateer is back for his second year, but it took no time for him to win over the locker room.

He represented the offense in last year’s event in Atlanta, and his outgoing personality made him one of the more engaging players sent to SEC Media Days.

As he looks to rebound from a season largely derailed by a thumb injury, it would be stunning for Mateer to be left out of the traveling party to Tampa.

Other Offensive Options

Oklahoma Sooners, Isaiah Sategna — Oklahoma wide receiver Isaiah Sategna celebrates after scoring a touchdown against Alabama in the CFP. | Carson Field, Sooners On SI

Last year, the Sooners sent two defensive players (R Mason Thomas and Robert Spears-Jennings) with Mateer.

It wouldn’t be a shock to see another pair of pieces from Venables’ defense in Atlanta, though OU has a few interesting options on offense to send if the Sooners want to double up on that side of the ball.

Center Jake Maikkula has emerged as a leader for Oklahoma’s offensive line, and left tackle Michael Fasusi has a fun personality to pair with the outstanding physical tools that earned him a starting job as a true freshman.

Receiver Isaiah Sategna is coming off a fantastic year, though he mostly does his talking on the field, and transfer tight end Hayden Hansen would make a good spokesperson for the improvements Oklahoma hopes to make on the ground.

An Abundance of Defensive Candidates

Oklahoma Sooners, David Stone — Oklahoma defensive lineman David Stone looks on before a snap against Alabama in the 2025 CFP. | Carson Field, Sooners On SI

Venables could select just about anyone from his returning starting group on defense to join him in Tampa.

Linebackers Kip Lewis and Owen Heinecke would both make great faces of OU’s defense, while linemen David Stone, Taylor Wein and Jayden Jackson could all easily speak to the strength of the group.

Safety Peyton Bowen is entering his senior season and has seen the full turnaround on the Oklahoma defense firsthand, and both of the Bowen brothers are well-spoken.

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Perhaps the most fun option would be sophomore cornerback Courtland Guillory.

He’s incredibly confident, but his play on the field backs everything up. Guillory followed Eli Bowen’s example from 2024 to put in a Freshman All-American-caliber season at cornerback, and there’s no reason he shouldn’t expect to be even better in 2026.

In the Big 12 days where more players are in the traveling party, returning Lou Groza Award Winner Tate Sandell could have also been an option, but it would be a surprise for the Sooners to take their kicker to SEC Media Days.

Regardless, Venables has plenty of excellent options for SEC Media Days.

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