Oklahoma just landed its new crown jewel for 2026 recruiting class

The Oklahoma Sooners have a new top 2026 commit.

Defensive end Jake Kreul on Tuesday on ESPN's "The Pat McAfee Show" announced his commitment to the Sooners after previously narrowing down his choices to OU, Texas and Ole Miss, with Florida also still being a possible dark horse.

Jake Kreul commits to Sooners on 'The Pat McAfee Show'

ESPN rates Kreul, listed at 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds, as a five-star recruit, while every other major recruiting service gave Kreul four stars. According to the 247Sports Composite, Kreul is the No. 9 edge rusher in the 2026 class and No. 9 prospect in the state of Florida while playing at powerhouse IMG Academy.

Based on the 247Sports Composite, Kreul immediately became the Sooners' highest-rated commit from the 2026 class, surpassing quarterback Bowe Bentley.

Last season as a junior, Kreul tallied 39 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 11 quarterback hurries and six sacks in nine games with a loaded preps schedule. He then participated in the Under Armour All-American Game and the Polynesian Bowl.

Despite OU's recent struggles on the recruiting trail and not having any five-star commits to this point, Kreul's decision wasn't a shock. He had been predicted to choose the Sooners by multiple recruiting experts. He was also a frequent visitor to Norman during his recruitment process ever since OU offered him last July. However, Sooner Nation was still nervous, especially after losing four-star wide receiver Davian Groce to Florida in the final moments just the day before.

OU beat out the likes of Arkansas, Auburn, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oregon, Penn State, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M, USC, Vanderbilt and more to get Kreul.

Overall, the Sooners have added 16 commits to their 2026 class so far. That group includes two other edge rushers in four-star recruit Daniel Norman and three-star prospect Matthew Nelson. OU also landed a commitment from four-star defensive lineman Brian Harris to help bolster its future defensive front in the SEC.

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