Joel Klatt on Oklahoma’s Recruiting Class: ‘Brent Venables Did a Great Job’
The Oklahoma Sooners are used to recruiting one of the best classes in the country year after year, but this 2023 Class is one of their best ever, and it’s turned plenty of heads, including FOX Sports’ Joel Klatt.
The Sooners were picked to be one of the top teams in the country last season before a rough stretch of road games, injuries, and coaching issues held them back from competing with the conference leaders. But while Brent Venables first year in Norman did not go as planned, it didn’t stop him from bringing in an impressive haul for his first full recruiting class.
Klatt said on his podcast, “Brent Venables did a great job. I look back at some of these classes that Oklahoma had in recent years, Lincoln Riley wasn’t touching that… Venables has done a really good job… Six of their best seven recruits are defensive players or offensive linemen. How d you win going into the SEC? You better play defense and you better play well on the line of scrimmage.”
Oklahoma enters the 2023-2024 season with the sixth-ranked recruiting class in the country featuring five-star players like quarterback Jackson Arnold who looks to become the successor to Dillon Gabriel after 2023, pass rusher Adepoju Adebawore, and safety Peyton Bowen, who all should be key contributors for the Sooners.
Paired with a cast of seven four-star recruits, and seven more who have signed letters of intent, the Sooners are in a great position to contend for a Big 12 title next fall.
The Sooners finished last season with an overall record of 6-7, with a disappointing 3-6 in conference play. Oklahoma begins conference play next season against the new addition Cincinnati Bearcats on September 23rd.
