Long Beach (Calif.) Narbonne four-star quarterback Jaden O’Nealtook his first visit to Oklahomaon April 8. During that trip, the Sooners quickly caught his attention because of the “top-notch” reception he got from the players and coaches.
Miami was previously the program setting the standard in O’Neal’s recruitment, but that changed once he left Norman. Oklahoma was his top school immediately after his unofficial visit and the Sooners stayed in that position, as he committed to head coach Brent Venables and his staff on Monday.
“They have a strong tradition of developing quarterbacks,” O’Neal told On3. “That was the No. 1 reason I chose Oklahoma because I want to make it to the next level and I feel like OU can get me to the next level. The second reason why is the supportive staff that coach Brent Venables has around him. They’re very real and authentic coaches. The fanbase loves me. At the end of the day, you want to go to a place that fits you and loves you. I feel like the fans and the people around the community love me there.”
Oklahoma beat out Florida State, Miami and Washingtonfor O’Neal. He continued to feel great about the Sooners when he returned to their campus for the second time on June 13.
The No. 11 player in California originally planned to commit in late August before the start of his junior season, but he shared that “dominoes are starting to fall” in the 2026 quarterback class. As “one of those big dominoes,” O’Neal wanted to lock in his spot and feels confident about his decision to choose Oklahoma.
“I felt wanted and felt bought in to a program,” said O’Neal, the No. 78 overall prospect and No. 6 quarterback in the 2026 On3 Industry Ranking. “They were also bought in to me. I remember when I first got the offer, coach Seth Littrellafter the workout told me, ‘If I end up offering you, I’m going to recruit you hard.’ He’s been a man of his word and he’s definitely kept his values.”
O’Neal is excited to play for Venables and Littrell
O’Neal went back to Norman for the ChampU BBQ over the weekend. It allowed him to build more chemistry with the people around the program.
This season, O’Neal wants to go to Dallas for Oklahoma’s Red River Rivalry game against Texasand see the Sooners “beat them yet again.” He is excited to eventually enroll and begin his college football career playing for Venables.
“As a person, he’s always looking at the upside,” O’Neal said. “I feel like we share the same similarities because during my football career, I didn’t start off being recognized as one of the top guys, unlike a lot of these other guys. He’s a man of God and a man of his word as well. He values the players. He has this program called the SOUL mission, which dedicates a lot of resources to the players, which I also love.
“I like the supporting staff he has around him and he’s been in multiple national championships, so he knows what he’s talking about on the defensive side of the ball. Day in and day out throughout practice, I feel like it’s going to be an in-game experience dealing with coach Venables.”
O’Neal has also built a close bond with Littrell, Oklahoma’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He joined the Sooners after serving as the head coach at North Texas.
“He’s like my dad in certain ways,” O’Neal said. “He’s very direct and very serious. He’s a man of his word and a man of God as well. He’s definitely a coach I can trust. I don’t get a bad feeling at Oklahoma. I fit in and I feel like these coaches are going to challenge me each day because of what they value.”
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