Oklahoma picked up a recruiting jolt on Tuesday when Class of 2028 linebacker Jay Schell of Rabun Gap, Ga., committed to the Sooners, according to a report from Hayes Fawcett of On3.
Schell, a consensus 4-star prospect, brings plenty of size to the linebacker spot at 6-foot-3 and 214 pounds. In 247Sports’ composite rankings, he sits as the No. 142 overall player in the class and the No. 8 linebacker.
The blue-chip defender backed up that reputation with a big sophomore season at Rabun Gap-Nacoochee High School in 2025. He finished with 77 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, three sacks, a pass breakup, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Schell drew interest from a long list of heavy hitters, landing offers from Ohio State, Texas, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Georgia and Michigan, among others. On Aug. 26, Fawcett reported that his decision had come down to Oklahoma and Clemson.
He made unofficial visits to Michigan and Clemson during the first two weeks of the college football season, then took a gameday trip to Oklahoma for the Sooners’ Sept. 19 game against New Mexico. After that visit, the fit apparently clicked.
“Great weekend in Norman!! Thank you @OU_Football for hosting me and my family on an awesome visit!
B⭕️⭕️MER‼️ #OUDNA 🧬 @RabunGapEagles 🦅 @coachdtwhite @CoachVenables @CoachNDreiling @JamesSkalski @CoachToddBates @GotBoz44 @MiguelChavis65 @JimNagyOU”
The commitment gives Brent Venables another win on the trail, and it comes against the program where he spent a decade as defensive coordinator and helped Clemson win two national championships.
With Schell on board, Oklahoma now has three commitments in the 2028 cycle. The others are tight end Connor Arant, a 4-star prospect from Bixby, Okla., and quarterback Trey Tagliaferri, a 3-star recruit from Oradell, N.J., who committed during the summer.
The Sooners’ 2028 class is currently ranked No. 9 nationally in 247Sports’ team rankings. Oklahoma has also built momentum in the 2027 cycle, where it sits at No. 6 with 27 commitments.
The recruiting news arrives during an uneven start to Oklahoma’s 2026 season. The Sooners opened with a 51-0 win over UTEP, fell 17-10 at Michigan, and then slipped past New Mexico 14-6 on Saturday to move to 2-1.
Next up is a road trip to Georgia, where Oklahoma will enter Saturday’s game as a 14-point underdog.
In Other News...
OUs Season May Hinge On One Choice Brent Venables Made
Oklahomas offense has been the programs biggest unresolved issue through the recent coaching changes, with the Sooners cycling from Seth Littrell to Ben Arbuckle in search of steadier production. Brent Venables has spent the better part of two seasons trying to fix that side of the ball while the defense has generally kept the team respectable, but the overall picture has still felt familiar to anyone who watched the turbulence of the past few years.
The larger question is whether the latest coordinator choice finally gives the Sooners a workable identity or just extends the same problem in a new direction. Venables also had other offensive candidates to weigh in 2024, which only adds to the sense that this decision may end up defining how the season is judged, especially if the offense does not take the leap Oklahoma has been waiting for. [Read more 🡒]
Georgias First SEC Clash With Oklahoma Carries One Intriguing Twist
No. 2 Georgias first regular-season meeting with Oklahoma brings the Sooners into one of the sports toughest road environments, and it arrives with both teams still trying to sort out early-season identity. Georgia is 3-0 and has the kind of balance Kirby Smart has come to expect, while Oklahoma sits at 2-1 and has yet to find full rhythm on offense, with quarterback John Mateer needing to take a step forward if the Sooners want to keep pace.
Brent Venables knows the assignment only gets harder against Gunner Stockton and a Georgia defense Smart has openly respected on the other side of the matchup. The more immediate Oklahoma concern may be up front, where defensive tackle David Stones status remains uncertain because of a knee injury, leaving another layer of instability before a trip that already demands near-perfect execution. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahomas 2028 Class Just Added Another Intriguing Athlete
Oklahomas 2028 recruiting class picked up another interesting piece with the verbal commitment of Colton Fitzgibbon, a dual-sport athlete whose speed and ability to play both football and baseball have made him stand out early. The 3-star recruit becomes the fourth pledge in a Sooners class that has started to build momentum well ahead of signing day.
Fitzgibbons addition also gives Oklahoma another reason to feel good about the direction of that group, with the Sooners 2028 class moving up to No. 4 nationally after his commitment. For a program that has long valued versatile athletes, Fitzgibbon fits the profile of a player who could bring options on campus, even if the next step in that path is still to be determined. [Read more 🡒]