3 SEC Teams Miss Out on Nation's No. 1 LB Recruit

One of the best defensive prospects and the most talented linebacker in the 2027 college football recruiting cycle has announced his commitment, giving one SEC program a major piece to build around, and leaving three others looking for answers elsewhere.

Five-star Argyle (Tex.) linebacker Cooper Witten has announced his commitment to Oklahoma and head coach Brent Venables over three elite SEC finalists.

Witten keeps it in the family with his commitment, as he’ll play for his father, the 11-time Pro Bowl great and new Sooners tight ends coach Jason Witten.

Who else was in the running?

Georgia was a major name in contention as Witten after he was in person on campus recently for a visit.

The prospect was particularly high on the Bulldogs’ recent success developing linebackers and believes that their pipeline for defensive players to the NFL is among the best in college football.

Texas A&M earned serious consideration from Witten and also hosted him on a visit, currently ranking fourth nationally in the latest industry average 2027 football recruiting rankings.

Tennessee reportedly made a strong impression on Witten, whose father left the Volunteers ranked third in school history among tight ends in catches and fourth in yards despite playing just 20 games.

Sooners rise after Witten pledge

Oklahoma’s profile rose in the wake of Witten’s commitment to the program.

Brent Venables’ team shot up to the No. 2 position in the latest industry average 2027 college football recruiting rankings following news of his decision.

OU trails just Ohio State according to that average, but moved into the No. 1 spot in the updated 247Sports recruiting rankings.

Witten became the 14th commitment to the Sooners and should serve as a foundational piece in Venables’ defense in the seasons to come.

How he ranks as a recruit

Analysts are almost unanimous on Witten being the best linebacker in the country.

ESPN was the outlier, but not by much, naming him the No. 2 ranked prospect at the position and the No. 26 overall player in the nation.

247Sports analysts consider Witten the top-ranked linebacker, and he is listed as the No. 31 overall prospect, according to an average of the national recruiting services.

That average marks Witten as the fourth-best overall football recruit in the state of Texas.

Witten is considered a five-star prospect and the second-best linebacker in the nation, according to the industry generated 247Sports Composite.

What he did on the field

Witten has 214 total stops with 13 tackles for loss and 10 quarterback hurries over the last three seasons at Liberty Christian (Tex.), according to MaxPreps.

His best outing came as a junior this past season, racking up 87 combined stops with more than 12 tackles per game on average and 9 negative plays recorded.

(Rivals)