The Oklahoma Sooners are all about keeping the team in the family. If a former player went there, star players, role players, fan favorites, etc, and they have a family member interested in going to OU and are good enough, they will offer that player.
And, we have seen that happen a ton. On Friday, we learned that they could land a player that would have them doing just that, and it's a former star player's brother.
To make things even better, it's for a position group that really needs it.
After going undrafted, Tony Jefferson started his NFL career in 2013 with the Arizona Cardinals, staying until 2016, before moving to the Baltimore Ravens from 2017 to 2019, where he peaked with 78 tackles in 2017. This was all, of course, after having a stellar career with the Sooners.
However, an ACL injury in 2019 kind of put his career on a decline, leading to later stints with the San Francisco 49ers in 2021 and the New York Giants from 2022 to 2023, ultimately amassing 468 tackles, four interceptions, and nine forced fumbles across 121 games while earning $27 million before retiring in 2023. Then, he came back to play with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2024.
His brother is a 6'5" pass catcher who can play tight end or wide receiver and seems talented. He likely has a strong work ethic, influenced by his NFL-playing brother, and benefits from observing his career. He's a three-star tight end coming from Southwestern College, a JUCO in Chula Vista, California. Jason Sheer has put in a prediction for the Sooners to land him.
New #Sooners 247 Crystal Ball
— Covered Wagons Recruiting (@OUCrystalBall) June 26, 2025
⭐⭐⭐ 2026 TE Josiah Jefferson
6'5" / 230
Southwestern College (JUCO) (Chula Vista, CA)
️ 6 (Med)
✍️ By Jason Scheer
⬇️ Arizona Insider
Profile: https://t.co/oaNdSZbReP#L26ENDARY pic.twitter.com/yHuXxo2ELQ
Nagy, who became general manager this offseason, has shown he's willing to make unconventional moves to acquire the right players. And, sometimes that's what works in college sports. If the Sooners want to get back on top, taking risks will do that.
Then again, sometimes it won't. Only time will tell, but first, they have to actually land the kid as a commitment.
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