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Sooners All over SEC Country

by:Josh McCuistion•01/28/25•

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2026-edge-darryus-mckinley-enjoying-early-recruiting-attention
2026 EDGE Darryus McKinley (L) with his brother, 2024 DL Dominick McKinley. (Twitter)

Oklahoma’s travels around the country to continue to evaluate talents started again on Monday. Not surprisingly the Sooners laid a wide swath of impact. Finding prospects from all around SEC territory – including seeing some promising prospects from within state lines.

Sooners Leaving an Impression In-State

Since the arrival of Brent Venables it would be hard to find much fault with Oklahoma’s work within it’s own state’s borders. Offers are early and numerous and the Sooners are rarely the last major name in on an in-state prospect. In fact, they are often near the front of the line.

While most people can see those things and take stock of them the one thing that the Sooners have truly excelled at is making sure in-state players and coaches feel that they aren’t just coming and going. Like much of Venables’ recruiting style, the Sooners are big on building relationships.

So it should come as no surprise that an in-state star that saw the Sooners come through last week was among their first visits again on Monday.

Leading the way was Oklahoma’s most recent in-state offer, Putnam City Cheetah target DJ Ackerson. The Sooners offered him at this weekend’s junior day and quickly returned to see him in Warr Acres.

But he wasn’t alone as Sooners tight ends coach Joe Jon Finley made his way to extreme Southeast Oklahoma to see Broken Bow standout 2027 athlete Greydon Howell. The talented athlete picked up a Miami offer recently and has the look of a breakout star over the next 12 months.

The Sooners have been increasing their presence with Howell and he’s definitely one Oklahoma fans need to watch in a talented 2027 in-state crop that has already seen four offers go out.

Todd Bates Check in with Familiar Name

In the class of 2024 the Sooners made a real run at five-star defensive tackle Dominick McKinley. On Monday Todd Bates was back on the familiar turf of Lafayette (La.) Acadiana to check in on Darryus McKinley. The 2026 standout has had the Sooners attention for some time and he has been to Norman repeatedly through the past few years.

McKinley seems likely to follow his older brother to Baton Rouge but clearly the Sooners aren’t ready to give up.

Sooners Continue Looking for Line Talent

Though OU has made a number of offers on both the offensive and defensive lines in 2026, that’s not to say that they aren’t still looking for more possible answers for the future. One name that would seem to fit that description is Blue Spring, Mo. lineman Mason Markel.

Markel looks likely to end up at offensive tackle and has the long and lean frame that shows signs of plenty of future development. He’ll be one to watch going forward for the Sooners.

Murray Makes Stop in Tennessee

Oklahoma running backs coach Demarco Murray had an NFL stop in the state of Tennessee and on Monday made a brief return to the state. He wasn’t in Nashville but instead over in Chattanooga checking out 2026 wide receiver Keeyshawn Taubteau.

The Sooners have offered Tabuteau and it’ll be interesting to see if they get him to campus sometime soon. Also pictured with Tabuteau and Murray is 2026 offensive lineman Moussa Seck.

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