In what feels like an obvious path, players from the best high school football program in Oklahoma are starting to also end up at the most storied college football program the state has to offer.
Rivals’ Hayes Fawcett reported on Tuesday that 2028 consensus four-star tight end Connor Arant has committed to OU, giving the Sooners back-to-back classes with a Spartan from Bixby High School. OU’s 2027 class already has a commitment from Bixby’s five-star offensive tackle, Kaeden Penny.
The 2028 class could also add another Spartan, as multiple recruiting experts have logged predictions for four-star interior offensive lineman Gavin Wilson from Bixby to choose the Sooners. Wilson actually seemed more certain to be a Sooner than Arant when the recruiting cycle first fired up.
🏠#AGTG https://t.co/LA9ekSg53R
— Connor Arant (@ConnorArant) September 15, 2026
Connor Arant joins teammate Kaeden Penny, and Gavin Wilson could soon follow
Bixby has won eight state championships in a row between two different classes (6AI and 6AII). Obviously, the Spartans are dominant again this season with so much talent, and by the time they likely make it nine straight titles, their roster could feature three future Sooners.
Three games into his junior season, Arant has caught three passes for 44 yards. He’s at his best when run blocking, though, while listed at a monstrous 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds. That has him already with SEC size as just a junior in high school.
He chose OU over other offers from the likes of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and more. Obviously, new OU tight ends coach Jason Witten was also a massive influence in making this happen.
According to the 247Sports Composite, Arant is the No. 17 tight end in the 2028 class, but 247Sports by itself has him ranked as the 12th-best TE and No. 219 overall player. He’s also the No. 4 prospect in the state. Those in front of him include Wilson at No. 2 and Owasso High School athlete Kamieon Compton-Nero, who also seems destined for OU, at the top.
Arant’s recent decision should only help the Sooners eventually secure Wilson. He now has two teammates who he’s with every day, able to recruit him to join them both in Norman and keep chasing titles together. Wilson's other offers include Auburn, LSU, Missouri, Oklahoma State, Oregon and more.
This is a great new trend for the Sooners after struggling for years to land talent from Bixby, including tight end Luke Hasz and all three Presley brothers. There's also no sign of the Spartans slowing down under Loren Montgomery, and if anything, the dynasty is only growing stronger with facility upgrades and more talent moving in. That just means an overflowing, tapped pipeline for the Sooners.
So far, the Sooners now have two 2028 commits, with Arant joining four-star quarterback Trey Tagliaferri, who flipped from Notre Dame after a brief commitment. With the season kicked off and unofficial visits underway, though, this is about the time when recruiting classes start to explode.
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