The Oklahoma Sooners’ 2027 recruiting class just got a major vote of confidence from one of its cornerstone pieces - and it comes in the wake of a significant coaching shakeup.
Mikhail McCreary, a four-star cornerback out of Claudia Taylor Johnson High School in San Antonio, isn’t going anywhere. Despite the departure of his future position coach, Jay Valai, to the NFL, McCreary reaffirmed his commitment to Oklahoma, solidifying his status as a foundational piece in what’s shaping up to be one of the top defensive classes in the country.
Valai, who had served as the Sooners’ cornerbacks coach, is heading to the Buffalo Bills to join their staff as defensive backs coach. That kind of move - especially this early in a recruit’s journey - can often send ripple effects through a class.
But not in this case. McCreary made it clear he’s still locked in with Oklahoma.
“It’s still all love with Coach Valai,” McCreary said, “but I feel like everything is still strong with the whole staff and especially with Coach [Brent] Venables.”
That’s a big-time endorsement of the culture Venables is building in Norman. It also says a lot about McCreary’s mindset.
This isn’t just about one coach. It’s about the vision for the program - and clearly, McCreary believes in it.
He committed to the Sooners back in September, well before anyone expected NFL teams to start poaching assistants from Venables' staff. But that’s the kind of season Oklahoma had.
A 10-2 regular season, a College Football Playoff berth, and a defense that turned heads nationally. That success doesn’t just attract recruits - it attracts attention from the pros, too.
Even with Valai moving on, the Sooners’ defensive staff remains a strong selling point. And McCreary, ranked as the No. 24 cornerback in the 2027 class and the No. 32 overall prospect in Texas by the 247Sports Composite, is clearly still buying what OU is selling.
He had no shortage of options, either. Programs like Florida, Michigan, Arkansas, Baylor, Texas Tech, UCLA, Vanderbilt, and Virginia Tech were all in the mix. But it was Oklahoma that earned his early pledge - and now, his unwavering loyalty.
McCreary isn’t the only defensive back committed to OU in the 2027 cycle. Three-star corner Mikyal Davis also joined the class in November, giving the Sooners a strong early foundation in the secondary. And with the 2026 class already signed and the Transfer Portal window closed, Valai’s departure isn’t expected to trigger any major roster movement.
For now, the message is clear: Oklahoma’s recruiting momentum is real, and it’s resilient. Even with coaching changes, the Sooners are holding firm - and so is Mikhail McCreary.