The 2027 class could end up being historic for Brent Venables and Oklahoma. And thanks to the updated Rivals rankings, there's another reason to get fired up about cornerback Gabriel Osborne Jr. and his future in Norman. Previously, he was a four-star pledge for OU per Rivals, but that's no longer the case.
In a pleasant surprise for the Sooners, Osborne has moved up eight spots in the Rivals rankings, earning him his coveted fifth star. Yes, we understand that stars aren't everything, and what matters is the production on the field. However, no one can argue with the fact that it adds to the hype for Venables' recruiting efforts, as this is yet another win for the staff:
🚨NEW🚨 Oklahoma CB commit Gabriel Osborne Jr. ranks No. 21 and 5-stars in the updated 2027 Rivals300.https://t.co/c9Kk1syyvT pic.twitter.com/lkWRN9FoJx
— Rivals (@Rivals) July 13, 2026
Oklahoma commit Gabriel Osborne Jr. has landed his coveted fifth star thanks to Rivals
Previously, the 6-2, 180-pounder was ranked four stars and the No. 28 player in the nation overall. That's now changed in a big way, as he's now a five-star pledge, plus the No. 4 cornerback, and No. 2 player out of Oklahoma. So, an in-state, five-star commit for Venables? Again, we can't overstate how awesome this has got to feel for the OU faithful.
Osborne originally committed to the Sooners on June 1, picking Oklahoma over more than 20 other offers. His long list includes tenders from the Sooners, Alabama, Florida State, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Ohio State, and other powerhouses. In the end, he could only pick one school, and he gave Venables the news he was hoping for.
The standout defensive back isn't the only five-star stud on board, though, as he's joined by linebacker Cooper Witten, tight end Seneca Driver, and in-state offensive tackle Kaeden Penny. Fellow in-state OT Cooper Hackett was previously ranked five stars too, but he recently dropped down to four-star status.
Despite that, this is still an incredibly loaded haul thus far for Oklahoma, with Venables on the cusp of making program history. Never have the Sooners finished with a Top 5 class, but they're squarely in the hunt to make that happen this year. As things stand, Oklahoma is checking in at No. 6 in the Top 25 recruiting rankings, with Texas A&M, Oregon, Notre Dame, Texas, and Miami ahead of them.
There's still plenty of time until the Early Signing Period gets here in December, which means there's more than enough time for more movement to arrive, and for the Sooners to leap into the Top 5. It'd be incredible if that happens, with Venables clearly working overtime to get things done.
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