After a recent historical run of recruiting wins, the Oklahoma Sooners finally lost a battle for a 2027 target.
Zane Rowe, a 2027 four-star defensive lineman, committed to Oregon over the weekend after initially pledging to OU. The Sooners never gave up on getting Rowe to Norman even after his decision.
Zane Rowe picks Oregon after OU commitment
According to the 247Sports Composite, Rowe, listed at 6-foot-5 and 265 pounds, is the No. 12 defensive lineman in the 2027 class and just inside the top 100 as the No. 99 overall player. He's also the No. 13 prospect in the state of Texas out of Denton Guyer High School, which also produced Sooners Peyton and Eli Bowen.
Rowe committed to the Sooners early on in April 2024, just over a month after OU offered him as a sophomore. He then backed out of the commitment in January 2025, but the Sooners never let off the gas with Rowe as he visited Norman twice during last season.
After his decommitment, Rowe's list of offers exploded with Florida State, Arizona, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Washington, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, UCLA, Georgia Tech and Kentucky entering the mix. He also already had offers on the table from Oregon, Tennessee, Oklahoma State, USC, Penn State, Miami (FL), Houston, Kansas State, Nebraska, Ole Miss, Arkansas, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Georgia, Texas and more.
Rowe eventually narrowed his options down to three in February between Oregon, OU and North Carolina before choosing the Ducks on Friday.
Even without Rowe, though, there's still zero worry about the Sooners' 2027 class. OU has the best 2027 recruiting class in the country right now with 19 total commitments. That number includes four defensive linemen with four-star edge rushers Taven Epps and Krew Jones, and four-star interior lineman Elija Harmon and three-star Deven Robertson. Rowe wouldn't have even been one of the Sooners' top-5 commits.