Drew Evers and his folks are quite familiar with Oklahoma.

And although the process is a long way from the finish line, that familiarity has helped the Sooners emerge as a top contender in Evers’ recruitment. Georgia, Texas A&M, Ohio State and Michigan are also heavily in play for the blue-chip offensive lineman, but OU has as strong a chance as any program in the Evers sweepstakes.

Currently ranked the No. 118 overall player and No. 12 offensive tackle in the 2026 cycle, Evers was back in Norman last weekend to catch the Sooners’ 16-12 rock fight of a victory over Houston.

“It was a good game,” he observed. “Closer than I thought it would be; I thought Oklahoma was gonna blow them out the water. But Oklahoma still looked dominant. It’s always good being up there to see Coach Bedenbaugh and hang around with some of the other recruits there. They always have a good environment for me.”

Drew’s older brother Nick, a former four-star quarterback recruit in the 2022 cycle, signed with Oklahoma out of high school, so Drew has had a relationship with the OU coaching staff for nearly three years. Although Nick transferred to Wisconsin and later to UConn, the Sooner staff has never acted as though Drew’s recruitment is in any way conjoined to that of his older brother. And Bill Bedenbaugh has made a strong impression from the jump on the younger Evers.

“He just knows what he’s talking about,” Evers remarked. “He’s been in the game a long time. He knows what he’s talking about. Look at his track record. He has all these guys in the NFL — crazy numbers. You always want to be around someone who knows what they’re talking about; you don’t want to be around someone who’s just saying something. But he knows what he’s talking about. He’s a really good coach.”