Oklahoma’s home schedule is doing more than filling the stadium this fall. It’s also giving the Sooners a chance to bring in some of the nation’s top young prospects for gameday visits.
After a 23-15 road win over Mississippi State in Starkville on Saturday, Oklahoma turns to South Carolina this week. The Gamecocks arrive coming off their upset of Tennessee, and that matchup will be the first of three remaining home games in 2026 that Oklahoma can use to host recruits.
One of the biggest names on that list is class of 2028 defensive lineman Malakai Leilua. The 6-foot-3, 255-pound prospect from Saratoga Springs, Utah, is set to be in Norman on Nov. 21 when the Sooners host Texas A&M, according to Collin Kennedy of 247Sports.
Leilua’s recruitment has picked up steam as the season has rolled on. He’s a consensus 3-star prospect, and 247Sports’ composite rankings slot him at No. 430 overall and No. 47 among defensive linemen in the 2028 class. He has produced 65 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, four pass breakups and a forced fumble so far in 2026.
Oklahoma will not be the only stop on Leilua’s tour. Kennedy reported that UCLA, Texas Tech, Arizona State, Oregon, Stanford and Miami are also on his visit schedule.
He also was at BYU’s win over Notre Dame on Oct. 17.
Another recruit bound for Norman is local tight end Wyatt Cordray, who will be at Oklahoma for Saturday’s game against South Carolina. The Oklahoma City product got to know the Sooners well over the summer, when he attended Brent Venables’ camps and then picked up an offer from OU on June 3 after showing what he could do in front of the coaching staff.
Cordray, who plays at Carl Albert High School in Midwest City, stands 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds. Rivals lists him as a 4-star prospect, while 247Sports has him as a 3-star recruit. Even as a sophomore, he already holds offers from Oklahoma, Arizona State, Texas Tech and Arkansas.
His calendar is filling up too. Per Kennedy, Cordray is also lined up to visit Texas Tech, Oklahoma State and Baylor after making a trip to SMU on Saturday.
The Sooners also got some positive feedback from another 2028 defensive lineman, Brynnen Thompson, following his visit to Norman on Oct. 18 for Oklahoma’s 21-13 loss to Kentucky. Thompson posted on X that he “had a very nice experience at the University of Oklahoma.
It was a blessing to be treated with such hospitality. The meetings with the staff did not disappoint.”
Thompson, a 6-foot-3, 260-pound native of Laurel, Del., is a 4-star recruit ranked No. 91 overall in the 2028 class by Rivals. His offer sheet already includes Florida, Tennessee, Penn State, Nebraska, Texas Tech and NC State.
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John Mateer will be central to Oklahomas hopes of continuing that momentum, but the challenge is a real one. South Carolina brings a dynamic presence at quarterback in LaNorris Sellers and a disruptive defensive piece in Dylan Stewart, giving the Gamecocks the kind of playmakers that can tilt a game quickly. It makes this a useful measuring-stick afternoon for Oklahoma, with kickoff on Saturday and the SEC Network carrying the broadcast. [Read more 🡒]
Mississippi State Brings One Big SEC Question Oklahoma Fans Should Watch
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Bedlam Could Give Oklahoma One More Shot At Bragging Rights
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It is still just a projection, of course, and plenty would have to fall into place before the game became real. Both teams are out of College Football Playoff contention, so the path runs through their final results and the availability of key players such as OSU quarterback Drew Mestemaker, while bowl officials would still need to sort out the logistics of matching the old rivals again. For now, it is simply the kind of possibility that keeps Bedlam from staying buried for long. [Read more 🡒]