Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables couldn't wait during his Early Signing Period press conference to start talking about the defensive line talent he had on the way.
The Sooners signed five players on Wednesday, when the Early Signing Period officially began for 2026 recruits, to bolster their future defensive front. That total included three defensive ends to get after quarterbacks and a pair of defensive tackles to clog the middle.
Sooners sign 5 defensive linemen in 2026 class during Early Signing Period
After mentioning that he was pleased with the talent the Sooners were able to lure from bordering states despite just one in-state signee, the first position group Venables mentioned during his opening statement was the defensive front seven, particularly the defensive line.
Edge rusher Jake Kreul is the highest-rated prospect in the Sooners' 2026 class as the No. 72 overall prospect in the country, according to the 247Sports Composite. ESPN is the highest on Kreul, ranking him as the No. 25 overall prospect and the only outlet to give him five stars.
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Tracking all 2026 signees during Early Signing Period
Other defensive ends from the class include four-star Matthew Nelson and three-star Daniel Norman. Listed at a towering 6-foot-5 and 215 pounds, Nelson is the No. 40 edge rusher in the class and No. 4 overall player in Arkansas, according to the 247Sports Composite. Norman, from Florida, is the No. 47 edge rusher.
At defensive tackle was the duo of three-stars Brian Harris and James Carrington. Harris is not ranked extremely high by recruiting services, but he chose the Sooners over the likes of Alabama, Michigan, South Carolina and more. The Sooners also pried Carrington away from the Miami Hurricanes and other in-state programs in Florida.
"Guys with length, guys with power, guys with size, guys with great quickness and instincts," Venables went on about the group. "It's a very well-coached group of players."