After a couple of early misses in the 2027 quarterback recruiting cycle, it looks like Oklahoma may have finally found its guy. The Sooners are trending to land three-star quarterback Jamison Roberts, a rising prospect out of Alabama who’s starting to turn heads after a breakout junior season.
According to recruiting expert Chad Simmons, Roberts is now projected to commit to Oklahoma, just days after narrowing his list of finalists to eight schools: Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Auburn, Arkansas, Duke, Northwestern, Iowa, and Kentucky. And while that’s a competitive group, the Sooners have had a quiet edge in this race for a while-thanks in large part to offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle, who identified Roberts early and has been in his corner ever since.
That early belief is starting to look like a smart play.
Roberts didn’t get the starting nod at Saraland High School until last season, spending his underclassman years backing up blue-chip quarterback KJ Lacey, who’s now committed to Texas. That delay in playing time meant Roberts was late to the recruiting radar-many top programs had already locked in their top QB targets by the time he took over under center. But once he got his shot, Roberts made it count.
In his first year as QB1, Roberts delivered a monster season: 3,370 passing yards, 37 touchdowns through the air, only five interceptions, and another 641 rushing yards with 21 scores on the ground. That’s 58 total touchdowns in a single season-production that’s hard to ignore, especially from a player who’s only just getting started.
And he’s not slowing down. In a playoff win that punched Saraland’s ticket to the state semifinals, Roberts posted 300 passing yards and four total touchdowns, showing once again that he’s not just putting up numbers-he’s leading his team deep into the postseason.
Right now, Roberts is rated as the No. 25 quarterback in the 2027 class and the No. 370 overall prospect nationally, per the 247Sports Composite. He’s also the No. 14 player in Alabama, a state where Oklahoma has been working hard to establish a recruiting foothold. If he follows up his junior campaign with another strong senior season-and especially if he commits to a powerhouse like OU-expect those rankings to climb in a hurry.
The Sooners’ pursuit of Roberts comes after striking out on a pair of high-profile targets. Their top option early in the cycle was four-star Peyton “Pop” Houston, who made national headlines as a sophomore when he threw for a record-breaking 817 yards in a single game. Oklahoma was firmly in the mix for Houston, but he ultimately chose to stay close to home and committed to LSU back in September.
They also extended an offer to four-star Trae Taylor, who ended up committing to Nebraska.
That left Oklahoma with a need-and an opportunity. Roberts, with his dual-threat ability and upward trajectory, fits the mold of what Arbuckle and the Sooners like to build around.
He’s not just a consolation prize. He’s a late bloomer with the tools to be a difference-maker at the next level.
If this prediction holds and Roberts commits to Oklahoma, it could mark a turning point in the Sooners’ 2027 recruiting class. More importantly, it might be the beginning of a quarterback story that’s only just getting started.