Brent Venables is following the example set by Ryan Day and the Ohio State football program. His Oklahoma football team recently secured a commitment from a highly sought-after high school quarterback, Jaden O’Neal, for two years down the line, outcompeting programs like Mario Cristobal’s Miami Hurricanes and the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Jaden O’Neal, the third-best quarterback in the class of 2026, announced his decision publicly. This marks the highest-ranked quarterback commitment for Venables’ Oklahoma program since Jackson Arnold in 2023, according to ESPN’s Eli Ledman.
Oklahoma was not O’Neal’s first choice. He visited several programs, including Steve Sarkisian’s Texas Longhorns, Deion Sanders’ Colorado team, and Cristobal’s Miami. His final visits were to Ohio State and Oklahoma before he made his decision.
Why did Jaden O’Neal choose Oklahoma?
O’Neal explained that Oklahoma’s focus on football, lack of distractions in Norman, strong academic program, and the quality of the players were key factors. “I like the way they attack football. Everybody there loves football. There’s not a lot of distractions in Norman. They have a good academic program. I’m a student-athlete and student comes before athlete. And then it was just the players that I’ll be surrounded with. They’ve got some top-notch quarterbacks,” he stated.
Originally from California, O’Neal considered the potential for growth and exposure. He emphasized the authentic energy and strong tradition at Oklahoma, alongside the development opportunities and overall fit for him and his family. “The energy wasn’t fake. It was very authentic and real. I really like the strong tradition that they hold, the development opportunity, and just what they can bring for my family and I, on and off the field. All of that was important to me. Now that I’ve made my decision, I’m sticking with it. I’m only planning on taking official visits to that one school,” he added.
Although he still has time to develop, O’Neal already shows promise. Standing 6-foot-3, his size is a positive indicator of his early comfort in his role. He recorded 2,475 passing yards and led Newport Harbor High School to 27 touchdowns in his most recent season, numbers expected to improve as he integrates into the Oklahoma football program.
