Sooners position coach continues to be one of Oklahoma's secret weapons when it comes to recruiting

Sooners' Todd Bates continues to be a secret weapon in recruiting

As we mentioned earlier, the 2026 recruiting class didn't start off exactly how the Sooners wanted it to in terms of the defensive line. They have really been able to salvage it over the last few months, with commitments from Jake Kreul, one of the best edge rushers in the country, and then James Carrington recently, followed by Richardson on Tuesday.

And, the way they have done it is with their secret weapon in recruiting, defensive line coach Todd Bates, who just seems to keep winning these kids over.

“Oklahoma just stayed consistent from the beginning,” Richardson told Rivals. “They offered me early and kept calling, texting, FaceTiming — always checking in. I could feel how much they wanted me. Coach Bates is a great guy. Super high energy, intense when he’s locked in, and says what he means. And Coach Venables — he’s nonstop energy. We can talk about anything. He’s super relatable and reachable, even as the head coach. Plus, he’s a defensive guy, and his plan for me was strong. He’s changing the program for the better and getting guys ready to compete in the SEC.”

There will be people out there who look at this and think that Bates isn't doing anything crazy because these kids he is getting to commit are three-stars. But the Sooners don't go off star ratings when they recruit. They go purely off the film, and they love what they see from Richardson.

When you turn on his film, you will see Richardson is pretty quick for his size, especially right on the snap. He's also got a knack for making great IQ plays in the run game, and you love to see that, because these days most kids just care about sacks. Richardson chose the Sooners over Penn State, Maryland, and Syracuse.

Maybe now we can say that this class is wrapped up until National Signing Day.