Greatest discovered gem from every Oklahoma recruiting class under Brent Venables

Every five-star recruit should develop into a star, but there's only 32 of those per class, so the trick for every program is to find those under-recruited prospects that surprise as big-time contributors, and Brent Venables has done that time and time again since taking over the Oklahoma Sooners before the 2022 season.

Looking back at every class Venables has signed to be Sooners, one player from each group stood out among their classmates after developing into more than what they were ever expected to, at least based on recruiting rankings.

Biggest Sooners recruiting surprises of Brent Venables era

2022: Gracen Halton , DL

This was a pretty stacked group as the No. 8 class in the country, according to the 247Sports Composite, which means there weren’t many under-recruited signees. Truth is, had wide receiver Nic Anderson stuck around, he’d be the one here as a former three-star prospect.

Gracen Halton was a big-time recruit as a four-star prospect but still exceeded expectations more than any of his other classmates as the No. 35 defensive lineman in the class. He just finished his OU career as a fourth-round draft pick to the San Francisco 49ers.

2023: Taylor Wein, EDGE

Taylor Wein isn’t just the biggest recruiting surprise from the 2023 class, but probably the greatest gem Venables has ever discovered. He was a three-star recruit and No. 67 edge rusher, per 247Sports, in the class out of Nolensville High School in Tennessee. Not even his home state Volunteers or Vanderbilt offered Wein.

After almost no production in 2024, Wein broke out last season as a Second-Team All-SEC selection after leading the Sooners with seven sacks. Now, once a three-star prospect overlooked by in-state programs, Wein could be the best player on one of the best defenses in college football in 2026 before heading to the NFL.

2024: Eli Bowen, CB

Undersized at 5-foot-9, Eli Bowen signed as a three-star recruit and No. 59 cornerback in the class, per 247Sports. Just a few months later, he was already starting for the Sooners and was an ESPN Freshman All-American. He was then Third-Team All-SEC last season as a sophomore. He’ll be a three-year starter in 2026 before ultimately ending up in the NFL.

2025: Courtland Guillory, CB

It’s impressive to already be considered a gem just barely a year after signing. According to 247Sports, Courtland Guillory was the No. 40 corner in the class as a four-star recruit so it was known he’d eventually contribute to OU’s defense, but not so soon and at such a high level. Guillory quickly took over the corner opposite of Bowen and started 11 games while earning SEC All-Freshman honors last year.

2026: TBD

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