In the world of college football, talent acquisition is a game-changer, and Oklahoma has consistently played it well. As a former Big 12 powerhouse alongside Texas, the Sooners have routinely boasted top-tier rosters, translating top-25 recruiting classes into top-25 finishes almost every year since 2000.
The secret sauce? It's a blend of recruiting prowess, player development, and talent retention.
Whether through high school pipelines or the increasingly pivotal Transfer Portal, keeping the roster stocked is crucial. But there's a stark difference in talent dynamics between the Big 12 and the SEC.
The Southeast is a hotbed for football talent, and the competition to secure these players is fierce among SEC teams.
Steven Lassan of Athlon Sports recently ranked the roster talent of the 16 SEC teams for the 2026 season, using a five-year average of recruiting class rankings based on 247Sports Composite Team Rankings. Oklahoma's roster shines, tying for the fifth-most talented in the SEC with Texas A&M, thanks to a 10.8 average ranking.
Unsurprisingly, Alabama, Georgia, Texas, and LSU outpaced Oklahoma in this talent showdown. Alabama led the pack with a stellar 2.0 average, followed by Georgia (2.8), Texas (4.4), and LSU (9.0). Beyond these, six other SEC programs boasted top-25 FBS recruiting class averages.
For Oklahoma and Texas, this ranking is particularly impressive given their recent transition to the SEC. Despite only a few years in the conference, both schools have already punched their tickets to the College Football Playoff-Texas in 2024 and Oklahoma in 2025-proving they're more than ready for SEC competition.
Lassan notes that while his analysis highlights recruiting success, it doesn't account for transfers and departures, which are increasingly vital in today's college football landscape.
Interestingly, there's a pattern: when Oklahoma lands a top-10 recruiting class, they often finish in the top 10 of the AP national rankings. This correlation underscores the importance of strong recruiting in achieving national success. As the Sooners continue their SEC journey, maintaining this recruiting momentum will be key to their ongoing success.