With the Sooners set to sign as many as 18 scholarship commits today, it's time for the Magnificent Eleven from OUInsider's Parker Thune and Brandon Drumm. In this annual column, the two co-publishers pick superlatives in the Sooners' 2025 recruiting class across eleven categories.

The Most Needed and Most Underrated labels are rather self-explanatory, as is Future Captain. The Highest Ceiling designation goes to a player with exceptional potential due to athletic traits, even if that potential isn't immediately apparent on their high school tape. Lightning Rod identifies a home-run playmaker with highlight-reel capabilities. Swiss Army Knife is an honor reserved for a versatile athlete who could play a multifaceted role, and Fan Favorite goes to a player who's got unique characteristics that'll endear them to Sooner Nation. First Off the Bus is for the most imposing of athletic specimens, and Still a Surprise highlights a player whose commitment to Oklahoma was circumstantially shocking. Finally, Biggest Miss represents a high-profile recruit for whom another school beat out the Sooners, and the Cole Adams Award goes to an impact player that the Sooners might very well have landed if they'd recruited him harder or earlier.

Drumm: Michael Fasusi

I think this one speaks for itself, right? Oklahoma's troubles on the offensive line were well-documented this past season and that was due to some recruiting hiccups in the 2021 class and also former Sooners head coach Lincoln Riley only giving two slots for OL in the 2022 class. Because of two straight years of blunders there, the Sooners' OL was more plug filling through transfer portal than Billl Bedenbaugh's usual development into NFL-ready players.

So, following solid 2023 and 2024 recruiting hauls, Bedenbaugh needed to land an ace (only having one in Eddy Pierre-Louis in 2024 and arguably Ryan Fodje in 2025 as well) to show the fan base he is back to building the offensive line that they are used to seeing in Norman.

In comes five-star Michael Fasusi.

Oklahoma got the star-studded OL to commit back in the summer, but after a 6-6 season landing Fasusi not only became a rollercoaster, but also a necessity even more so than before -- even with three other big-time OL's on board.

The addition of Fasusi, along with the other 2025, 2024 and 2023 OL signees, puts the Sooners back on track to have another extended streak of stellar OL play that fans in Norman are not only used to having, but expect to have year-in-and-year-out.

Could he be one of a few true freshman to play a ton for Bill Bedenbaugh and join players like Anton Harrison, Marquis Hayes, Dru Samia, Jacob Sexton, and the infamous Cayden Green who were thrust into rotational and/or starters as true freshmen under BB?

Fasusi has the ability to be that and more if he develops fast like those former Sooners did.

Thune: Trent Wilson

Sure, Fasusi is the easy answer, but when I think about what "most needed" means, I think about what the Sooners' class would look like in the absence of a given commit. And without Trent Wilson, Oklahoma would have exactly zero defensive tackles in its 2025 class. He's the Sooners' lone ranger at DT, and he's more than just a body. We're talking about a national top-100 prospect and the No. 5 defensive tackle in the nation. When Oklahoma lost commitments from four-star DT Floyd Boucard and three-star DT Ka'Mori Moore, the program could ill afford to lose Wilson without inciting major panic as to the future of Todd Bates' group. Fortunately, the Sooners were able to keep Wilson solidly pledged, and he'll help stabilize the unit for years to come alongside the likes of David Stone and Jayden Jackson.

Drumm: Ryan Fodje

For the life of me, I will never know why our network won't jump on board with Ryan Fodje and put him in the Rivals250, let alone the Rivals100 where OUInsider and those in Norman feel he belongs.

Fodje isn't as ballyhooed as five--star Michael Fasusi, but man, the four-star OL deserves his flowers, too. The Bridgeland (TX) OL has been as locked in as anyone in the 2025 class and that might make him less coveted to some Sooners fans, but when you talk to those inside the Switzer Center there is a feeling he might just have the highest ceiling of all the offensive commits -- including Fasusi and Elijah Thomas.

Some in the Switzer Center even feel Fodje could be a rotational player for the Sooners as a freshman, with one source telling me, "You can't watch him play and not walk away thinking he might have a chance to be at least an all-conference player for (OU)."

Fodje might not be that "underrated" on some other services, but on ours, he is MAJORLY overlooked. That's why I pegged him as my "underrated" player in the 2025 class.

Thune: Emmanuel Choice

I'm thoroughly befuddled as to how Choice has been stuck with a high three-star rating for over a year. He's the only one wide receiver that has been committed to the Sooners at any point in the cycle that has NEVER been regarded as a blue-chipper, and I'm of the staunch opinion that he has the highest ceiling of them all. By no means is this a direct comparison to Ceedee Lamb, but I think Choice has plenty of Ceedee in his game. He's got size, elite ball skills and a very sudden start-and-stop ability in the open field. He runs precise routes and has sticky hands. But for all that he is, there's still a level to his game that hasn't been fully unlocked, as was the case with Lamb until his breakout junior year at OU in 2019. If Choice is developed properly under Emmett Jones, he's got legitimate superstar potential and could wind up a very high draft pick when his career in Norman wraps up.

Drumm: Marcus Wimberly

This one was super easy for me. Go back and watch our interview with Wimberly after he announced his commitment to OU. You will see a leader. You will see a faith-driven, competitive, goal-oriented kid that expects to be not only a starter at OU one day, but the leader of the defense.

On top of all of that, I can count on several fingers the amount of texts I would get from Wimberly telling me to tell one of my boys "good job"or "keep working hard" or to "make sure to give the glory to God" after one of their posts or me saying how proud I am of them. For a seventeen or eighteen year old kid to have that kind of world view already is special in its own right.

Wimberly was also one of the leaders within the OU 2025 commits. Then you add that he is a legit 4.4-4.5 kid with his size and athleticism and you have a player that others will follow on that alone. His character and what he stands for will be the kicker of it all and why you can guarantee that Wimberly will be not just a game day captain during his time in Norman, but one that BV and Alley look as a captain day-to-day within the program.

Thune: Alex Shieldnight

I've long been higher than most on the 6-foot-3, 235-pound defensive end out of Wagoner (Okla.), who committed to the Sooners in November of 2023 and never wavered. The ceiling is admittedly a bit lower for a guy like Shieldnight who doesn't necessarily possess elite measurables, but I also think his motor and strength give him a much higher floor than the average defensive line prospect. And I love the leadership qualities that he'll bring to the table for Oklahoma. He's a small-town kid with small-town values, and in a football town like Wagoner, he's been raised to know nothing but hard work. He, Wimberly and Elijah Thomas are all alike in that regard, and should represent the nucleus of Oklahoma's next group of team leaders.

Drumm: Maliek Hawkins

This one might surprise some, but hear me out on why I pegged four-star CB Maliek Hawkins as "highest ceiling."

First, look at his brother. I think most OU fans see that Michael Hawkins has a chance to be a very special QB before his time in Norman is up. The reasoning is because they come from good stock. Their dad, Michael Hawkins Sr, played at OU, but didn't last long before making his way into the arena league and eventually the NFL. He did that with Bob Stoops telling anyone that could and would listen that Hawk Sr was a special talent and one that he wished he'd had a chance to coach longer.

That journey Senior took has made Maliek and Mike Jr become the ultimate workers off the field when it comes to their craft. Maliek Hawkins will be refined to the point that he will be structurally ready in footwork and technique when he arrives in Norman. When he gets the playbook down, you could be looking at a taller, faster, more physical version of Eli Bowen. What I mean by that is where Eli Bowen lacks in size, he makes up in football IQ. Hawkins will have that type of IQ due to how his father teaches him to assess routes due to alignment, the way their feet are set upon lining up and more.

Those things aren't gradable when it comes to star rankings. Plus, Maliek barely gets thrown at, so I feel when he does arrive in Norman and does get thrown at, everyone will now be able to see what the Sooners got in the four-star CB. A player that not as well-known as others, but soon will be.

Thune: Michael Fasusi

Between Fasusi and Ryan Fodje, you can't really go wrong here. Bill Bedenbaugh has two elite bookends for the years ahead. Fodje projects to be Oklahoma's long-term answer at right tackle, while Fasusi could easily be a three-year starter at left tackle. For this superlative, I give the nod to the five-star from Lewisville, whom I've long touted as the most college-ready tackle prospect in the entire 2025 cycle. His elite footwork, power and polish give Bedenbaugh an excellent canvas with which to craft another first-round tackle prospect. I think he could contend for playing time as a true freshman and should be locked in as a full-time starter — and a dang good one — by 2026.

Drumm: Omarion Robinson

The Rivals100 safety signee could have been under several superlatives. He could have been "highest ceiling," "captain," etc. He fits the bill for dang near all of them. But lightening rod was one I felt was too good to pass up for Omarion Robinson.

The Rivals100 safety did it all for his Little Rock (AR) Parkview squad before his season-ending injury. He was an elite return man, played WR for them and always got the job of covering their opponents best wideout.

Robinson was also a big play waiting to happen. When Parkview needed a game-changing play to happen, they would look toward Robinson to make it happen -- even if everyone there knew he was getting the ball, he couldn't be stopped.

He also somehow found a way to make momentum changing hits and interceptions on defense, or even a big return on special teams as well. Whatever big play was needed, Robinson was there to make sure it happened. That is why Brandon Hall wanted him so badly! It's also why we at Rivals have him rated as one of the top 50 players in nation heading into NSD.

He is a lightening rod. A player that will change a ballgame for whatever team he is on. Because of that, Sooners fans should be hyped that "Man-Man" is on your side.

Thune: Tory Blaylock

The Sooners' lone running back in the 2025 class was a pretty clear choice for me. The Houston-area phenom has been one of the area's most coveted prospects in the cycle since he was a freshman, and enjoyed a fantastic senior year highlighted by a five-TD performance in the state playoffs. Given Oklahoma's depth at RB, it had long been apparent that DeMarco Murray and Oklahoma were only going to take one backfield piece in the class. In Blaylock, they added a bouncy runner with home-run capability and the right genetic pedigree (dad Derrick played several seasons in the NFL as a running back). He likely won't be asked to factor heavily into the picture as a true freshman, but to be fair, we'd have said the same thing a year ago about Xavier Robinson. I like Blaylock's upside a ton.

Drumm: Elijah Thomas

Much like Omarion Robinson above, I could have listed Rivals250 WR Elijah Thomas in just about any category and no one would have said word. He is THAT GOOD. Think Jacobe Johnson or Jalil Farooq (BV and Clemson offered Farooq as a corner) out of high school, but with more experience on both sides of the ball. Those two Sooners were offered on both sides out of high school just like ET is now.

But to me, the monicker of "Swiss Army Knife" fit ET most prominently because, well, he can do it all at not the just the high school level, but the college level as well. ET is one of the most consistent, big play making and best WR's in the nation. That goes without saying, but what makes him so well-rounded is if something was to go sideways with the Sooners' safety room, I can assure you that ET would be able to move over to that side of the ball and be just as good. For that very reason, Sooners safety coach Brandon Hall was the first to see ET on the OU staff and to say he was worthy of an Oklahoma offer, according to sources on both ET and OU side of things.

Thomas is also someone that will likely return kicks during his time at OU. Whether it be punts or kickoffs, ET his electric with the ball in his hands. And as noted above, he has a knack for making the big play on offense and defense as well. Those are the characteristics a Swiss Army knife type of player would have, and that is exactly what Elijah Thomas is and will be for OU.

Thune: Marcus James

With a nod to Maliek Hawkins, who's likely to play a variegated role in the Oklahoma secondary upon his enrollment, I want to highlight James for a second. The three-star Midwest City (Okla.) Carl Albert product stands 6-foot-4 and should be in the neighborhood of 225-230 pounds by the beginning of his freshman year at Oklahoma. He's listed as a linebacker on his profile, and I think he's got the ability to play and excel in an off-ball role. But I'm VERY intrigued by James' potential as an edge rusher. In camp settings, he's been most dominant in a pass-rush capacity. I can't help but think back to Nik Bonitto, who started out his Oklahoma career as more of a true outside linebacker and gradually morphed into perhaps the best pure pass rusher in college football. I expect that the Sooners will start James out as a traditional linebacker, but I wonder how long it takes before they tell him to start shadowing R Mason Thomas at that edge spot.

Drumm: Owen Hollenbeck

When I went to watch Hollenbeck in 2023, and now Sooner DE Nigel Smith commit to OU, I came away thinking Oklahoma needed to push for the interior OL out of Melissa (TX). After watching him play LR Parkview earlier this season, I realized the Sooners got themselves an absolute road grader that will likely come in and play center for the Sooners and Bill Bedenbaugh.

Fans are going to love the Dusty Dvoracek-esque war painted face that Hollenbeck wears and it fits his playing style perfectly -- warrior mentality.

Let me explain a bit more, though. Hollenbeck is the most gracious and kind kid you will meet before and after a game. Win or lose. But between the lines and whistles, he plays with reckless abandonment and wants to pulverize you into submission. Fans are going to love it. He will be endearing in interviews, while also being a player that fans relate to because he isn’t the biggest guy you will see on the Sooners' OL, but he gives 100% and comes for blood to win for the program they love most. That is what will make Hollenbeck the fan favorite.

Thune: Elijah Thomas

There are two types of players that the Sooner faithful absolutely love. They love dudes who dominate, and they love dudes who wear their love for the University of Oklahoma on their respective sleeves. The players that fall in the center of that Venn diagram, if you will, become the most adored by Sooner Nation. And I'm a firm believer that Thomas, a native of Checotah (Okla.), will occupy that center. He's an unbelievably gifted talent at wide receiver who just closed out his high school career with back-to-back 200-yard performances in the state playoffs. And he's quietly been the key cog in the Sooners' 2025 cycle, working tirelessly as a peer recruiter to help build and maintain a top-10 class in Norman. He's been instrumental in holding the class together in the wake of Oklahoma's midseason struggles and four-star QB Kevin Sperry's flip from OU to Florida State. He absolutely loves being a Sooner and he's on the fast track to stardom. That's a combination that screams "fan favorite."

Drumm: Trent Wilson

Oklahoma has been recruiting really well on the defensive front since Todd Bates arrived in Norman from Clemson. Trent Wilson is another four-star and Rivals100 addition to an already loaded defensive line. Particularly on the interior.

And at 6-3 and 280lbs already you can't help but feel like he might be ready to contribute sooner rather than later, with how lean that 280lbs looks on Wilson already and the fact he has minimal body fat to go with a frame that can hold another 20-30lbs... easily. Look no further than his pops for what he might be able to look like down the line.

Wilson is fourth overall DT in the nation, per Rivals.com. He was one of the most consistent and productive DL at the Rivals 5-star Challenge this past summer. He was also one of the most sought after DTs in the nation with just about everyone wanting the Rivals100 product.

The four-star is as serious and driven as they come. That's why he will be successful and eventually be one that you look toward as "first off the bus" when Schmitty and company is done with him.

Thune: Darius Afalava

How wild is it that Bill Bedenbaugh went and landed the No. 1 prospect in the state of Utah, and it might not be among the top 10 storylines of the recruiting cycle for Oklahoma? At 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds, Afalava looks the part of a future mauler on the interior. While Fasusi and Fodje command the headlines amongst Oklahoma's group of offensive line commits, Afalava and Owen Hollenbeck comprise a duo that should bring force and nastiness to an OU offensive line group that needs quality depth. Afalava might not make a serious push for Year 1 playing time given the presence of Heath Ozaeta, Eddy Pierre-Louis and Eugene Brooks, but he's got long-term potential to be an absolute hoss in the trenches for the Sooners.

Drumm: Jett Niu

This one was surprise to everyone because of the circumstances and how little time the Sooners were able to have to flip the three-star QB out of Utah.

Niu hád been committed to Oklahoma State since early September and all signs pointed to OU originally going for underrated instate QB out of Muskogee (OK) Jamarian Ficklin (now committed to Utah) if four-star QB Kevin Sperry ever defected.

Obviously, Sperry did defect and eventually headed off to play for the fighting Mike Norvell's and Gus Malzahn at Florida State. Doing so after Sperry was committed to OU for 19 months. Naturally, that left the Sooners in a hole while also not having an OC quite yet.

However, in comes Washington State OC Ben Arbuckle to take over as the Sooners offensive coordinator and QB coach. Arbuckle wasted no time in offering Niu and soon after landed his commitment on NSD, while also flipping him from Bedlam rival Oklahoma State. Something that will automatically endear Niu and Arbuckle to the OU fans.

There are always a surprise or two every year, and his one may not be the biggest in terms of rankings, but it's dang sure the most surprising due to timing and how it all went down.

Thune: Courtland Guillory

The Sooners didn't offer Guillory until early February. Relative to the other big players in his recruitment, Oklahoma was very late to the table. But it didn't matter. Jay Valai and Brent Venables tag-teamed this recruitment from the jump, and Guillory handed his crimson All-In poker chip to Venables at the spring game. From offer to commitment, this recruitment spanned less than 90 days. And it was particularly stunning given that Texas had been prioritizing Guillory since long before Oklahoma ever entered the picture. Moreover, the Longhorns had the proximity advantage with the four-star CB, who hails from the Houston area. Texas did succeed in coaxing him to campus for an October unofficial visit, but he reaffirmed his pledge to OU shortly thereafter. Brent Venables and Steve Sarkisian have had their share of head-to-head recruiting battles over the last several years, and both coaches have won and lost battles. Michael Fasusi represents Venables' biggest win over Sarkisian in the 2025 cycle. But Guillory was, and is, the most surprising win. His recruitment always felt like the type that would culminate in a commitment to Texas... until, all of a sudden, it was Oklahoma.

Drumm: Jonah Williams

Yeah. This one was easy for me to pick. I am going to say something here that will upset some, but here goes:

Williams was silently committed/gave his pledge to OU for a bit and just never went public due to some predictions put in for OU and some family members not happy that he committed so early. I will explain what I can below...

Sooners safety coach Brandon Hall put in work and got Willams' father and mother to come up for a Junior Day last winter. During that visit (it was one of several that Williams made to OU in a short amount of time), sources say that Williams was quickly becoming enamored with the Sooners and their culture, along with what they had to offer in NIL.That was in football and baseball, both, being a two-sport star and him having proof how OU handles it with guys like Kyler Murray, etc.

All of that led to him turning in his "All-In" chip and telling Coach Hall and Brent Venables that he was committing to OU. Even despite a family member or two not overly thrilled he had made that early of a decision.

To be honest, at that time his commitment wasn't a surprise at all. Williams grew up a OU fan and wanted to play there, according to sources around the Rivals100 safety. He also was telling anyone that would listen that Oklahoma was his top school. Still, all of that changed fast when word leaked out that he was going to announce his decision soon. Sources told us not put a pick in because it was a delicate situation. We obliged and quietly just told our members that we felt he was trending to OU and that they could use that write up as a VIP Board pick for him to OU. We just were not publicly putting a Rivals Future Cast due to the sensitive nature of the situation (something you saw Williams get upset about later on his recruitment as well).

In the end, Williams never went public with his commitment to OU and he essentially took OU out of his top schools after they led for a good amount of time. The Sooners eventually moved on from the two-sport star and landed who some feel is the top safety in the nation in Omarion Robinson and fellow Arkansas Preps and four-star ATH Marcus Wimberly instead.

The five-star, Williams, now will play Oklahoma annually in the Red River Rivalry. Funny how recruiting works, huh? Never a dull moment.

Thune: DaSaahn Brame

For me, this one isn't particularly close. Yes, the Sooners would have loved to land Williams, but the duo of Omarion Robinson and Marcus Wimberly feels like a coup of a consolation prize. Yet once again, it feels as though Oklahoma came up short at the tight end position in the 2025 cycle. I've watched Brame in person numerous times over the last couple of years. He's improved his game drastically and morphed into one of the most unique offensive weapons in the nation. He's not just a tight end; he's a jumbo wide receiver. He does possess all the functional qualities to play the conventional tight end position, but his utility within an offense goes far beyond a cut-and-dried tight end role. Heck, as a senior at Derby (Kan.) High, he became one of the more dangerous punt returners in the state. I think he's easily five-star material. The Sooners led the pack in his recruitment for almost a year and hosted him for an official visit in early June, but by the tail end of the process, they had taken a backseat to Oregon and Tennessee in the race for his pledge. Brame first committed to Oregon in June before flipping to the Vols in July, and OU wound up a distant third. Given what I think Brame's going to do in Knoxville, I get the sense this is a recruiting loss that's going to sting for a while.

Drumm: Nate Roberts

Still sort of scratching my head over the Nate Roberts recruitment...

He was a longtime OU fan and grew up 15-20 minutes from the campus. Roberts older brother, Jake, even played his final season of college football at Oklahoma. Add that the Roberts had a very strong relationship with Seth Littrell (all this went down before he was fired) due to him coaching Jake at UNT, and there just isn't a lot to pinpoint as to why OU couldn't close the deal here.

Ultimately, what little you could point to is what ended the Sooners' chances with Roberts due to him having some strong family ties in Ohio and the Buckeyes having a very strong NIL package for him that OU felt was more than they were ready to offer for him at that time.

I can't say for certain, but I bet the Sooners would do more if they knew how the TE was going to turn out in 2024. Luckily, the Sooners were able to land one of the most underrated athletes in the nation in Trynae Washington. The four-star will likely play TE at OU and with his size and athleticism he has a chance to surprise a lot of people once he develops into a true TE.

Still, how the Roberts recruitment played out after his Notre Dame decommitment will never make much sense to me. Visited so many times. Was at OU games watching his brother this season as well. Oklahoma just couldn't close the deal. Much like Cole Adams in 2023.

Thune: Chase Loftin

This one will just never make sense to me. The Sooners were Loftin's first scholarship offer, all the way back in June of 2023. They remained a top contender for his commitment throughout his junior season, and Brent Venables personally visited Loftin's school in the winter contact period. Spring came around, and Loftin was looking forward to lining up an official visit to Oklahoma. That's right about the time that the Sooners just... stopped trying. As was the case with Malachi Coleman in the summer of 2022, Oklahoma was trending strong with a tight end target from the Cornhusker State, and suddenly chose to just walk away. If that decision was an indication of confidence with Brame and/or Linkon Cure, said confidence was obviously misplaced. What's even more bizarre is that Loftin eventually committed to Florida State, and after a sensational senior season, he's expected to sign with a program that just endured arguably the steepest crash-landing in modern college football history. And he could have been a Sooner. It wasn't just plausible; it was likely. All that Oklahoma had to do was show some effort.

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