Drake Stoops is staying in football-and he’s doing it with a team that feels like home.
The former Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver is headed to the United Football League, signing with the Dallas Renegades. That name might sound familiar to longtime OU fans, and for good reason.
The Renegades were previously coached by none other than Bob Stoops, Drake’s father and the legendary head coach who led Oklahoma from 1999 to 2016. Bob briefly returned to the sideline for the Sooners in the 2021 Alamo Bowl, but officially stepped away from coaching this past December.
His successor in Dallas will be Rick Neuheisel.
For Drake, this move is more than just a continuation of his playing career-it’s a full-circle moment. He’s joining the professional ranks with a team that carries a strong family legacy, and he’s doing it after carving out his own name in Norman.
Drake Stoops’ journey at OU is a story of persistence and growth. He arrived in 2018 as a walk-on and worked his way into a key role by the time his college career wrapped in 2023.
That final season was his breakout. Under head coach Brent Venables, Stoops posted career highs across the board-84 receptions, 962 yards, and 10 touchdowns.
He became a go-to target and a consistent playmaker, showing off the toughness and route-running savvy that made him so reliable in the Sooners’ offense.
Despite that strong senior campaign, Stoops went undrafted in the 2024 NFL Draft. He signed with the Los Angeles Rams as an undrafted free agent and spent time on their practice squad. While he didn’t get on the field in the NFL, the UFL offers a fresh opportunity-and one where he’s expected to see real playing time.
The UFL, now in its third spring season since the merger of the XFL and USFL, is designed to give players like Stoops a platform to showcase their skills during the NFL offseason. And he won’t be the only Sooner alum making noise in the league.
A number of former OU standouts are scattered across UFL rosters. The Birmingham Stallions have a strong crimson and cream presence, featuring defensive linemen Amani Bledsoe and Ronnie Perkins, offensive linemen Andrew Raym and Tyrese Robinson, and defensive back Tre Norwood.
Columbus has Isaiah Thomas anchoring the defensive line. The DC Defenders feature offensive linemen Adrian Ealy and Michael Tarquin.
LaRon Stokes suits up for the Louisville Kings, while DaShaun White lines up at linebacker for the Orlando Storm.
But Stoops stands alone as the only former Sooner on the Renegades roster. He’ll be representing OU solo in Dallas, while the rest of the eight-team league includes the Houston Gamblers and St. Louis Battlehawks.
There are even more Oklahoma connections on the sidelines. Kevin Sumlin, a former OU co-offensive coordinator, is now the head coach of the Gamblers. The Kings are coached by Chris Redman, who once committed to Oklahoma as a quarterback before taking a different path.
For Drake Stoops, this next chapter in the UFL is about more than just football-it’s about continuing a family legacy, proving he belongs at the pro level, and showing once again that he’s more than just a familiar name. He’s a competitor, a technician, and a player who’s earned every snap. Now, with the Renegades, he gets a new stage to prove it all over again.