The Oklahoma Sooners already let one Kolar brother slip out of Norman, but that was before OU tight ends coach Jason Witten was the one doing the recruiting.
The reputation of Witten, who played 17 NFL seasons, continues to precede him on the recruiting trail as 2027 four-star tight end Ben Kolar admitted to Rivals' Sam Spiegelman this week that Witten is a key reason OU is surging in his recruitment.
Ben Kolar credits Jason Witten for Sooners' recruiting surge
“Coach Witten is a fantastic coach," Kolar told Spiegelman after visiting OU. "His coaching just reveals the depth of his football knowledge.”
According to the 247Sports Composite, Kolar, listed at 6-foot-3, is the No. 23 tight end in the 2027 class. His offers include Arizona State, Arkansas, Auburn, Illinois, Miami, Michigan, Ole Miss, Penn State, SMU, TCU, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Utah, Vanderbilt and more. The Sooners offered Kolar last summer when Joe Jon Finley was still their tight ends coach.
Kolar will be the third brother from his family to play Division-I football. All have come from Norman North High School down the road from OU, but to this point, the Sooners have failed to keep any of them home, or even try. The biggest whiff was Charlie, who also played tight end but didn't have an OU offer before becoming a star at Iowa State. He now plays for the Los Angeles Chargers.
Read more: Oklahoma tight ends quickly see Jason Witten’s NFL experience paying off
Witten could finally keep a Kolar in Norman with an offer extended and his quickly proven success on the recruiting trail. Witten just joined the staff in January, but has already drawn elite talent to OU. A day after Witten was officially hired, Tennessee tight end Jack Van Dorselaer committed to the Sooners out of the Transfer Portal. Then, as his first high school commitment, Witten landed Seneca Driver, who is the No. 3 tight end in th 2027 class.
The Sooners have also recently hosted Kolar and 2028 four-star Ridge Janes during spring camp as a sign that there's not only more to come, but the Sooners drawing the best tight end talent could become a norm under Witten.
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