Why Odaefe Orunu Flipped Commitment to Oklahoma State Cowboys

The Oklahoma State Cowboys now have a third offensive lineman in the Class of 2027, and he explained why he flipped his commitment.

Oklahoma State head coach Eric Morris. Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Flips are a way of life in college football recruiting. But it's always better to be the school that flips the recruit rather than the one that gets flipped.

The Oklahoma State Cowboys were on the wrong end of that earlier this year when offensive lineman Chase Clark flipped his commitment from Oklahoma State to Purdue. On Wednesday, the Cowboys were on the right side of the flip as they stole an offensive lineman from an SEC school.

Jenks (Okla.) offensive lineman Odaefe Orunu flipped his commitment from Arkansas to Oklahoma State, giving the Cowboys a second four-star player this cycle and their third offensive lineman. He was also the fourth in-state recruit Oklahoma State has landed for the Class of 2027.

On Wednesday, Orunu explained why he changed his mind.

Why Odaefe Orunu Flipped to Oklahoma State

Go Pokes 🧡🖤 pic.twitter.com/woG6imjhKo

— Odaefe Oruru (@odaefeoruru2027) August 26, 2026

Like most recruits, Orunu announced his move officially in a social media post on X (formerly Twitter), among other sites. Since verbal commitments are non-binding, he had the opportunity to change his mind up until he signed with a school in December during the early-signing period. Orunu said that for him it is all about one thing — home.

“After thinking about what I really wanted out of my college experience, I realized I want to stay home and play for my state,” he wrote in his post. “Oklahoma is home. I've grown up here my whole life, and having the opportunity to represent my state and play at the next level means a lot to me and my family. I have a lot of respect for Arkansas and their staff, and I'm thankful for the belief they've had in me throughout this process. At the end of the day, I wanted to play for my estate. I'm staying home and I'm ready to be a Cowboy.”

The 6-6, 285-pound lineman is the No. 8 player in Oklahoma and the No. 22 interior lineman in the country, per 247Sports (subscription required). He is the 12th senior to commit to the Cowboys, so the possibility exists that he could change his mind before he signs with OSU.

For now, he joins a pair of three-star recruits on the offensive line, alongside Sonny Mullen of Troy, Texas, and Jake Baker of Ensworth in Nashville, Tenn. Both are projected as tackles, while Orunu is projected as a guard, something the Cowboys needed in this class.

The other in-state recruits that have committed to this point are wide receiver Cooper Hooker from Pryor High School (Quapaw, Okla.), linebacker Israel Hammons (Choctaw, Okla) and defensive back Bryson Brown (Broken Bow, Okla.).