Brent Venables got his first commitment as the new Oklahoma football coach on Monday when ESPN 300 quarterback Nick Evers committed to the Sooners.
Evers is ranked No. 134 overall and is a 6-foot-3, 190-pound prospect from Flower Mound, Texas. He’s the No. 8 pocket passer in the class and had been committed to Florida until he decommitted from the Gators six days ago.
Evers is an important commitment for Venables and his staff as quarterback Spencer Rattler entered the transfer portal on Nov. 29 and ESPN Junior 300 quarterback Malachi Nelson decommitted from Oklahoma in the 2023 class when Lincoln Riley left for USC.
All Glory To God!
COMMITTED!! #OUDNA | #BoomerSooner pic.twitter.com/e22EBDEdb1
— nicco (@NickEvers12) December 13, 2021
Nelson flipped to the Trojans to follow Riley, which left Oklahoma with no quarterbacks committed in 2022 and 2023. Venables will now have Caleb Williams, who supplanted Rattler as the starter this season, and Evers, along with Penn State transfer Micah Bowens.
Venables and his staff landed their second commitment of the day on Monday when ESPN 300 linebacker Kobie McKinzie committed to the Sooners.
McKinzie had been committed to Oklahoma, but decommitted on Nov. 28 and flipped his commitment to Texas. He is now flipping back to the Sooners with Venables as the head coach.
— kobie (@kobiemckinzie26) December 13, 2021
The Sooners had lost five commitments in the 2022 class since Riley left, including five-star defensive tackle Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy (who flipped to Texas A&M), linebacker Kobie McKinzie (who flipped to Texas), running back Raleek Brown (USC), defensive lineman Derrick Moore and offensive lineman Demetrius Hunter.
With Evers and McKinzie in the class, the new staff now has eight ESPN 300 commitments with only two days until the early signing period.