It’s one of the busiest — and most important — weeks of the year for coach Brent Venables and the OU football program.
After losing at LSU to finish the regular season at 6-6 on Saturday, the Sooners hired a new offensive coordinator two days later in Washington State’s Ben Arbuckle.
Now comes the early signing period, which opens Wednesday and closes Friday.
Here’s what you need to know about the Sooners for the early National Signing Day:
Five-star offensive tackle Michael Fasusi signs with OU after late pushes from Texas and Texas A&M
It’s official: Michael Fasusi is a Sooner.
The No. 2 offensive lineman and No. 13 player nationally per 247Sports signed with OU at a ceremony at Lewisville High School in Texas on Wednesday after visiting Texas and Texas A&M the past two weekends. Fasusi committed to the Sooners on Aug. 21.
Fasusi’s family moved to Texas from Nigeria when he was in middle school. He joins four-star Ryan Fodje as top offensive linemen in OU’s 2025 class.
At 6-foot-5, 295 pounds, Fasusi is expected to compete as soon as he steps on campus.
—Colton Sulley, Staff writer
Checotah WR Elijah Thomas ‘Sooner born and Sooner bred’
CHECOTAH — Elijah Thomas was still in a bit of disbelief Wednesday.
Standing on stage at Checotah’s Performing Arts Center, Thomas was surrounded by family as he signed with OU.
Thomas had been committed to the Sooners for more than 16 months, but it still seemed improbable for the four-star wide receiver from Eastern Oklahoma.
“I’d talked about it since I was young but I never thought I’d get this far,” Thomas said, between taking photos with family, friends and classmates.
As he sat on the stage going through the ceremony, two seats to Thomas’ left was one of the biggest reasons why he was in the spotlight.
Dontierre Fisher, Thomas’ older brother who signed with Ohio in the class of 2022, encouraged him to put in the work.
“He really made me believe,” Thomas said. “He always made sure …”
Thomas stopped, choked up a bit over the meaning of his brother’s motivation.
“He told me ‘trust yourself, don’t follow anybody else, we believe in you,’” Thomas said. “I know he’s always got my back no matter what.”
Thomas said it was difficult in recent days as the Sooners’ wide receiver class changed with several players decommitting.
“I think we’re gonna be fine with what we have,” Thomas said.
Thomas said wide receivers coach Emmett Jones has assured him, even as uncertainty swirled around the future of OU’s offense.
“He doesn’t sugarcoat anything,” Thomas said. “He keeps it 100% straightforward, all the time. He doesn’t tell you what you want to hear. He tells you what you need to know.”
Thomas said he has yet to talk to OU offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle, but expects that conversation to happen at some point before long.
Thomas had 1,803 yards and 26 touchdowns on 72 receptions and rushed for 406 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior.
“Elijah can do a lot,” Sooners coach Brent Venables said. “He sends coach (Brandon) Hall and I, we’ve got a little three-man group text, he sends us weekly defensive highlights as a safety. … He’s just one of the most low-maintenance players that I’ve ever been part of recruiting. He was our first commitment in July of 2023 and everybody in the country when they found out about Elijah came after him. And he had no interest whatsoever. He’s truly Sooner born and Sooner bred.”
—Ryan Aber, Staff writer
Trystan Haynes, state’s top recruit, officially signs with Sooners
Trystan Haynes earned the No. 1 spot on The Oklahoman’s Super 30 list of the state’s top recruits for the 2025 class.
The Carl Albert cornerback officially signed with the Sooners on Wednesday.
“It was the brotherhood, the family,” Haynes said of signing with OU. “Coach (Jay) Valai always made me feel like I was a priority up there.”
Haynes will go from a dominant defense at Carl Albert to a rapidly improving one at OU under Brent Venables.
“Having a defensive-minded coach is going to be really good for me,” Haynes said.
—Joe Mussatto, columnist
Trynae Washington talks Sooner offensive coordinator change
Carl Albert tight end Trynae Washington didn’t waver from his commitment to the Sooners even after OU’s midseason offensive coordinator change or the news Monday that Ben Arbuckle had been hired as the Sooners’ new OC.
“I didn’t know anything about him,” Washington told The Oklahoman, “and then I seen a couple posts about him being the new offensive coordinator. I’m sure he has great plans for OU. I’m excited and trust OU and their plans for the future. I’m not really worried about anything like that.”
Washington officially signed with the Sooners on Wednesday. He’s the No. 8 player on The Oklahoman’s Super 30 list of the state’s top recruits for the 2025 class.
—Joe Mussatto, columnist
Marcus James says signing with Sooners ‘long time coming’
Carl Albert linebacker Marcus James has been committed to OU for more than a year, but that didn’t make the formality of Wednesday any less special.
“Actually making it official today, signing, it’s a long time coming,” James told The Oklahoman. “I knew this day was gonna come, but now that it’s here it feels kind of surreal.”
James is ranked No. 17 on The Oklahoman’s Super 30 list of the state’s top recruits for the 2025 class.
—Joe Mussatto, columnist
Sooners four-star wide receiver commit flips to Nebraska
OU lost its third wide receiver commit of the week on Wednesday.
Four-star Cortez Mills of Homestead, Florida, who has been committed to the Sooners since July, told On3 he’s flipping to Nebraska. Mills joins fellow 2025 recruits Gracen Harris and Marcus Harris as OU wide receiver decommits.
Mills is the No. 15 receiver nationally per 247Sports’ Composite ratings.
—Colton Sulley, Staff writer
OU football flips Oklahoma State quarterback commit Jett Niu
New Sooners offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle is already making waves.
Over 15 hours after announced he’d received an OU offer, 2025 three-star Oklahoma State quarterback commit Jett Niu flipped his commitment and signed with the Sooners. OU now has its 2025 quarterback signee after four-star Kevin Sperry flipped to Florida State on Nov. 21.
“After much thought and reflection, I’ve decided to decommit from Oklahoma State and commit to the University of Oklahoma,” Niu wrote in a post on social media. “I am incredibly grateful for the amazing support and opportunities I received from Oklahoma State and their coaching staff.”
Niu ranks as the No. 91 quarterback and the No. 1,565 player nationally by 247Sports’ Composite ratings.
When is early signing day?
Here are a few important dates in the recruiting calendar:
- Dec. 4-6: Early signing period
- Dec. 9: Transfer portal opens
- Feb. 5: Final signing date
OU football recruiting rankings
According to the 247Sports composite rankings, the Sooners have one five-star signee, 11 four-star recruits and six three-star prospects. Here’s how the Sooners stack up in the SEC with overall rankings:
- 1. Texas
- 2. Alabama
- 3. Georgia
- 6. Auburn
- 8. LSU
- 9. Texas A&M
- 10. Tennessee
- 11. Florida
- 14. Ole Miss
- 16. Oklahoma
- 19. Missouri
- 20. South Carolina
- 28. Arkansas
- 29. Kentucky
- 32. Mississippi State
- 71. Vanderbilt
OU football 2025 signing class
Here’s a look at the players who have signed with OU football’s 2025 class:
- Michael Fasusi, OT, 6-foot-5, 295 pounds, Lewisville, Texas (Lewisville HS)
- Ryan Fodje, OT, 6-foot-5, 300 pounds, Cypress, Texas (Bridgeland HS)
- Elijah Thomas, WR, 6-foot-1, 185 pounds, Checotah
- CJ Nickson, EDGE, 6-foot-5, 220 pounds, Weatherford
- Trystan Haynes, CB, 6-foot-2, 175 pounds, Midwest City (Carl Albert HS)
- Tory Blaylock, RB, 5-foot-10, 195 pounds, Houston, Texas (Atascocita HS)
- Trent Wilson, DL, 6-foot-3, 270 pounds, Upper Marlboro, Maryland (Dr. Henry Wise HS)
- Omarion Robinson, S, 6 feet, 171 pounds, Little Rock, Arkansas (Parkview Magnet HS)
- Emmanuel Choice, WR, 6-foot-4, 195 pounds, Lancaster, Texas (Lancaster HS)
- Trynae Washington, TE, 6-foot-3, 195 pounds, Oklahoma City (Carl Albert HS)
- Marcus Wimberly, S, 6-foot-1, 200 pounds, Bauxite, Arkansas (Bauxite HS)
- Courtland Guillory, CB, 6 feet, 175 pounds, Houston, Texas (Klein Oak HS)
- Darius Afalava, IOL, 6-foot-5, 320 pounds, Lehi, Utah (Skyridge HS)
- Marcus James, LB, 6-foot-3, 210 pounds, Oklahoma City (Carl Albert HS)
- Maliek Hawkins, CB, 6 feet, 180 pounds, Allen, Texas (Frisco Emerson HS)
- Alexander Shieldnight, EDGE, 6-foot-3, 235 pounds, Wagoner
- Owen Hollenbeck, IOL, 6-foot-2, 315 pounds, Melissa, Texas (Melissa HS)
- Jett Niu, QB, 6-2, 185, Lehi, Utah