Oklahoma landed 10 players on the preseason All-SEC teams, a haul that ranked third in the league behind Georgia’s 12 and Texas’ 11. Even with that kind of showing, there were still a few Sooners who could have heard their names called when the teams were voted on at SEC Media Days in Tampa, Fla., last week.
The biggest omission on offense might have been Eddy Pierre-Louis. The offensive lineman was in Tampa representing OU, but he didn’t make any of the three preseason squads.
Pierre-Louis earned a starting job in the second half of his redshirt freshman season and played more than 40 snaps in each of Oklahoma’s final six games. He also graded out as one of the Sooners’ better pass protectors, finishing 2025 with a 79.2 Pro Football Focus pass-blocking grade.
With the expectations rising around Oklahoma’s offensive line, a stronger run-blocking year - he posted a 59.1 grade there - could push him into All-SEC territory.
At linebacker, Owen Heinecke looks like another player who could have been in the mix. His path to 2026 has already been a major offseason storyline, with his injunction against the NCAA granted in April and his appeal process clearing him to play.
Heinecke broke out last season with 74 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss, four pass breakups and three sacks after entering the year with just 11 career tackles for the Sooners. Working alongside Kip Lewis and Michigan transfer Cole Sullivan, he should be part of what projects as one of the best linebacker rooms in college football.
Jayden Jackson also deserves a mention on the defensive line. While David Stone has drawn plenty of attention this offseason, Jackson has been easier to overlook.
That’s a mistake. The defensive tackle was an ESPN and FWAA Freshman All-American in 2024 after putting up 30 tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks.
He followed that with another productive season in 2025, finishing with 28 tackles, five tackles for loss and three sacks despite being limited late in the year. If he stays healthy, Jackson has the kind of profile that could make him one of the nation’s top defensive tackles in 2026.
Quarterback John Mateer is a slightly different case. It’s probably too strong to call him a snub, but he’s certainly a player who could force his way into postseason honors.
Before his injury last year, Mateer was one of college football’s best quarterbacks and helped Oklahoma start 4-0 with ranked wins over Michigan and Auburn. His production dipped after surgery on his throwing hand, but with better weapons around him and more time to get back to full strength, he could look much more like the quarterback who lit up Sooners fans early in the season.
The preseason quarterback picks at SEC Media Days went to Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss, Texas’ Arch Manning and Georgia’s Gunner Stockton, while other league passers such as South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, Texas A&M’s Marcel Reed and LSU’s Sam Leavitt also bring plenty of upside. Still, if Mateer starts fast and stays healthy, All-SEC and All-American recognition is very much in play.
In Other News...
OU's Jake Maikkula Is Drawing Serious Buzz About His Future
Oklahomas offensive line has been a point of focus heading into the 2026 season, and Jake Maikkula is one of the reasons the Sooners feel better about that group. Jim Nagy has been particularly upbeat about the redshirt senior center, praising the way the Stanford transfer has grown since arriving and noting the leadership presence he has brought to the room. Maikkula played in 11 games last season after settling into the lineup, and his path since then has only strengthened the sense that he is becoming a key piece for OU.
Nagys confidence in Maikkula goes beyond what he means for Oklahoma right now. The Sooners general manager believes the center has the kind of traits that translate to the next level, which is why there is growing buzz around his future. After a year of adjustment and offseason progress, Maikkula has put himself in position to become more than just a steady veteran for OU, with the NFL conversation now starting to follow him around. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Just Handed Oklahoma Fresh Red River Bulletin Board Material
Steve Sarkisians offseason roster explanation was always going to draw a reaction, but it became especially relevant on Oklahomas side once Parker Livingstone entered the conversation. The Texas coach talked publicly about the Longhorns decisions to move on from certain receivers and make room for transfers, and Livingstone, who left Austin for Norman after a productive redshirt freshman season, quickly became the name fans latched onto.
The response has already spilled well beyond the usual Red River chatter, with Livingstones move to Oklahoma giving the Sooners an easy talking point and a little extra edge heading toward the rivalry matchup. For Oklahoma, it is another reminder that roster movement is no longer just an offseason footnote, especially when a former Texas player is now wearing crimson and drawing attention before the teams meet again. [Read more 🡒]
Sooners May Be Flipping A Painful In-State Trend At Last
Oklahoma has spent plenty of time trying to make in-state recruiting feel a little more like a strength than a sore spot, and Bixby High School has become one of the most important places to watch. The Sooners have already been pushing harder for local talent, and 2028 offensive lineman Gavin Wilson fits the profile of the kind of prospect they want to keep close to home. He is a three-star interior lineman who has picked up offers from a long list of programs, but Oklahoma has been viewed as the early favorite.
For OU, the bigger picture matters as much as any single commitment. The Sooners have had their share of frustrations with Bixby prospects in recent years, with some of the areas best players ending up elsewhere, including at Oklahoma State or outside the state. Landing Wilson would not fix everything, but it would be another sign that the Sooners may finally be building a more reliable pipeline from one of Oklahomas top high school programs. [Read more 🡒]