By A to Z Sports,Ryan Roberts

Copyright yardbarker

The Oklahoma Sooners look very improved on the field, but the recruiting impact from head coach Brent Venables and general manager Jim Nagy has still been very inconsistent. Currently rated as the No. 20 overall team in the 247 Sports Composite ranking, the Sooners are hoping for a strong finish for the 2026 recruiting class. That includes several top targets and some underrated football players that the staff is high on.

While his recruiting rankings won’t excite fans, this Oklahoma staff has continued to push hard for 2026 Lafayette (La.) Christian Academy wide receiver Brayden Allen during the last several months. Allen committed to the Tulane Green Wave back on July 16th, but that hasn’t stopped several programs from pursuing him. That includes the Sooners, Ole Miss, Colorado, Oklahoma State, Boston College, and Boston College among others.

According to Rivals national recruiting analyst Sam Spiegelman, Allen is going to be traveling to Norman this weekend for the Sooners’ battle against the Auburn Tigers. The hope is that Top-25 matchup and the environment can impress Allen enough to make a flip happen. He has a lot of great things to say about Oklahoma heading into the trip.

“Just the culture and the coaches there … I see young receivers getting on the field over there a lot, which lets me know that they are getting developed enough to get on the field early and contribute,” Allen told Spiegelman. “I feel like I can go over there and do the same.”

Diamond in the rough?

From a recruiting rankings perspective, Allen isn’t going to excite many. On the 247 Sports Composite ranking, the Louisiana native is currently rated as the No. 581 overall player, No. 86 wide receiver, and No. 20 player in the state of Louisiana for the 2026 recruiting class. All of the major recruiting platforms have him rated as a three-star player as things currently stand.

The 6-1, 170-pound pass catcher is a bit raw, but the talent is certainly there. As a junior for Lafayette Christian, Allen managed to haul in 55 receptions for 1,155 yards and 10 touchdowns. That is an average of 21 yards per reception, while also contributing on defense and special teams as well. Allen’s great production has continued so far during his senior season.

Since Nagy got to Norman, he has continued to try and find undervalued recruits with high upside. This program believes that Allen fits that billing perfectly.