Oklahoma Sooners news: OU rises in new Rivals rankings, Nick Saban comeback and MLB Draft history

OU rises in new Rivals rankings

It's been tough sledding for the Oklahoma Sooners on the recruiting trail, but they are on the rise.

Rivals released a new set of 2026 recruiting rankings on Monday, and OU's class jumped five spots from No. 29 to No. 24 in the teams rankings. That was also ninth in the SEC.

OU quarterback commit Bowe Bentley saw an even bigger rise. Rivals now ranks Bentley as a top-5 2026 QB at No. 4 and he also cracked the top-50 of overall recruit rankings at No. 41. He was previously at No. 10 and No. 56, respectively. This time last year, though, Bentley wasn't even rated by Rivals before his first year as a starter in high school.

Nick Saban to OU?

Former Alabama quarterback and now ESPN analyst Greg McElroy dropped the news on his radio show Monday that legendary college football coach Nick Saban might not be done coaching despite retiring after the 2023 season. According to McElroy, a person "in the know" told him they believe Saban will return to coaching.

With that news and considering OU head coach Brent Venables enters the season on the hot seat, could Saban's return be to Norman? As farfetched as it sounds, if stars align, the Sooners could be Saban's best option at the end of the season if he really is looking at another coaching job.

I wrote more about why that could be possible here.

MLB Draft history

Within hours of each other, twins Kyson and Malachi Witherspoon were taken in the 2025 MLB Draft.

Just like their birth order, Kyson went first to the Boston Red Sox with the 15th overall pick and had a priceless reaction with his family, including Malachi. Then, in the second round, the Detroit Tigers drafted Malachi with the 62nd pick.

Kyson and Malachi could become the first set of twins to make the MLB after being drafted the same year since 1996, according to MLB.com. The last duo to do it was Ryan and Damon Minor, also out of OU.

Also notably from the MLB Draft, Eli Willits, son of OU coach Reggie and brother of shortstop Jaxon, went No. 1 overall to the Washington Nationals. Willits had signed with the Sooners out of nearby Fort Cobb High School, but that's out of the question now.

After reclassifyinga and graduating a year early, Willits is only 17, becoming the youngest top pick in the MLB Draft since Ken Griffey Jr. in 1987. Just a few picks later at No. 4, the Colorado Rockies selected another Oklahoma preps product in Ethan Holliday, the son of Matt Holliday, from Stillwater High School. Matt has now produced two top-5 MLB Draft picks after the oldest, Jackson, went No. 1 just two years ago.

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