Oklahoma football: Sooners add 4-star, in-state WR for 2025

Oklahoma football recruiting lengthened its commitments for 2025 with a commitment on Saturday from four-star wide receiver Jaden Nickens.

The 6-foot, 3-inch, 190-pound wide receiver from nearby Oklahoma City is the third player from the state of Oklahoma to commit to the Sooners for 2025 and the fifth player overall committed to OU in that class.

Nickens joins another four-star wide receiver from the Sooner State, Elijah Thomas, from Checotah, located about 120 miles due east of Norman, who committed to the Sooners for 2025 earlier in the week.

Oklahoma won out over in-state Bedlam rival Oklahoma State, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Arkansas in Nickens’ recruitment.

Nickens, who also is a standout basketball player, is ranked as the No. 4 player in the state of Oklahoma for 2025 and the No. 12 wide receiver nationally by 247Sports.

In addition to 2025 commitments from Thomas and now Nickens, QB Kevin Sperry, from Carl Albert High School in Oklahoma City has also committed to the Sooners’ 2025 class.  These three 2025 commitments represent three of the top six prospects in the state of Oklahoma in the class of 2025.

All of this underscores Brent Venables’ emphasis on getting the best high school players in the state to stay at home and come to Oklahoma.

Bryant Crews, who covers Oklahoma for Sooners Wire, a website affiliated with the USA Today network, wrote this about what OU is getting in Nickens:

"“When looking at Nickens’ film, it’s easy to see why he’s highly regarded. He stands 6-foot-3 and uses his frame to win every contested catch.“What stands out when you watch him is how dynamic he is with the ball in his hands.”"

Oklahoma’s 2025 class, with five commitments, ranks No. 4 behind Georgia, Alabama and Oregon in the 247Sports 2025 class rankings.