Oklahoma Sooners projected to earn commitment from unheralded recruit who could be an intriguing developmental project

After reorganizing their front office after hiring Jim Nagy as general manager, the Oklahoma Sooners got off to a slow start to their recruiting of the class of 2026. However, they've kicked it into gear in May, bringing in three commitments over the last ten days, all on the defensive side of the ball.

They've been projected to land several more recruits in recent weeks, one of whom is a rather intriguing recruit...mainly because little is known about him. 

Defensive end Matthew Nelson was projected to commit to the Sooners. What makes him interesting is that he's a completely unranked prospect. He has no stars on any of the major recruiting sites, and most of his offers are from the Group of Five level, save for Oklahoma and Houston. 

Nelson is teammates with four-star linebacker Sooners commit Jakore Smith, who committed to the Sooners earlier in May. It's likely there that Oklahoma and the staff identified Nelson. 

While we don't know if Nelson was offered to entice Smith as part of a package deal, I doubt it, given that this staff rarely plays that kind of game. It's more likely that defensive ends coach Miguel Chavis must see something in Nelson's game worth the offer. 

The motor pops off of his Hudl film, but it's clear that Nelson will be an upside swing project if his listed weight is true. At just 215 pounds, that kind of size won't hold up in the SEC. However, you can see the traits on his film that caught Oklahoma's eye while scouting out Jakore Smith. 

While Oklahoma has plenty of talent in their defensive end room and are projected to add even more in the class of 2026, Nelson could be a worthwhile project to develop for a season or two. You can never have too many pass rushers, especially in the SEC, and it's clear the Sooners' staff believes in his talent.