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Published Jun 13, 2025
Dazzling Dozen: 12 individual awards and superlatives from OU's camp series
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Parker Thune  •  OUInsider
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On Friday, the Oklahoma staff hosted the Sooners' fourth and final elite camp session of the summer, which means another camp season has already come and passed in Norman.

Throughout the last couple of weeks, numerous blue-chippers highlighted the camp circuit at OU, but a number of emerging and under-the-radar prospects also put themselves more squarely on the map with standout performances. With a nod to all of the participants that put their skills to the test in front of Brent Venables and the OU staff, it's time to hand out the annual hardware to twelve players that enjoyed especially strong outings.

This list does not remotely comprise all of the players that turned heads or earned acclaim throughout the 2025 camp season at Oklahoma, and in order to acknowledge a myriad of prospects that did not earn a superlative but came close, there's a robust honorable mention list at the conclusion of this article. But without further ado, the awards begin with a familiar name and face.

Biggest Gun: Jaden O'Neal

O'Neal has a big arm, and that's always been a conspicuous aspect of the skill set that's enabled him to achieve blue-chip status in the 2026 cycle. And amidst an array of ever-swirling rumors about his commitment status with Oklahoma, O'Neal treated his camp outing on Friday in a perfectly businesslike manner. He showcased the full capability of his powerful right arm throughout the afternoon and delivered several precise deep balls with relative ease.

Smooth Operator: Peyton Houston

The Sooners have been hot in pursuit of the four-star Shreveport (La.) Evangel Christian Academy product for quite some time, and he's the only 2027 quarterback that OU offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle is currently recruiting. He made his way to Norman during camp season for the second straight year, and demonstrated once again that he can make every throw he's asked to make. He's got phenomenal mechanics, a live arm and a poised demeanor. In an all-around sense, from the 40-yard dash to the downfield rail shots in live 1-on-1 action, Houston might well have had the strongest camp performance of any prospect that showed up to camp.

Future Five-Star: Koehn Dial

To be clear, this isn't necessarily a prediction that Dial will wind up achieving five-star status, but is more so intended to designate a prospect that will eventually rise very high despite having yet to receive a national ranking. Dial looks nothing like a rising sophomore, as he already boasts a college-ready 6-foot-8 frame that comprises 305 well-placed pounds. The Tennessee native doesn't carry bad weight, he's technically proficient and he was able to hold his own against defensive ends quite a bit older than he is. Unsurprisingly, he earned an offer from Oklahoma after a very impressive day. Expect him to debut squarely in the realm of the blue-chippers whenever the 2028 rankings drop.

Lethal Weapon: Cooper Hooker

Hooker almost inarguably enjoyed the top performance of any wide receiver that camped at Oklahoma this summer. He ran a 4.46 in the 40-yard dash and was virtually unguardable in 1-on-1 competition. With crisp routes and straight-line speed to burn, Hooker won rep after rep after rep. It was somewhat surprising that Oklahoma didn't offer the in-state phenom after he indiscriminately toasted a very talented DB group. But the Sooners will no doubt keep him firmly on the radar moving forward, and they have the advantage of being geographically close to home if/when they do get involved in the recruitment.

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