Brent Venables is taking a page off of Ryan Day and the Ohio State football program's book. His Oklahoma football squad had just landed a commit two years down the line and beat out other programs like Mario Cristobal's Miami Hurricanes and the aforementioned Buckeyes. The new Sooners prospect out of high school, who is coveted by most programs, is named Jaden O'Neal. He announced his decision to the world.

Jaden O'Neal is ranked as the third-best quarterback in the class of 2026. He also became the highest-ranked quarterback of Brent Venables' Oklahoma football program since Jackson Arnold pledged to join the Sooners back in 2023, per Eli Ledman of ESPN.

The Oklahoma football squad was not the immediate choice for O'Neal. In fact, he had multiple visits to various facilities before a decision was finally made. Steve Sarkisian's Texas Longhorns, Colorado led by Deion Sanders, and Mario Cristobal's Miami football program all had the honor of showing him how their squads worked. Eventually, his last visits were with Ryan Day's Ohio State football team and Venables' Sooners.

What made Jaden O'Neal choose the Oklahoma football squad?

There was just something that the Oklahoma football program had that the Buckeyes and other squads didn't. O'Neal outlined what it was in his latest statement.

“I like the way they attack football. Everybody there loves football. There's not a lot of distractions in Norman. They have a good academic program. I'm a student-athlete and student comes before athlete. And then it was just the players that I'll be surrounded with. They've got some top-notch quarterbacks,” the young signal caller declared.

Hailing all the way from California, the move to these other schools was going to be big. So, he had to make sure that the vibe they gave off was right. O'Neal also clearly had to make sure that he got his best shot of shining with Venables prior to making his mind up. After all, the ultimate dream is to reach the NFL. The only way he will be able to achieve that is if he gets to be his best in the Oklahoma football program.

“The energy wasn't fake. It was very authentic and real. I really like the strong tradition that they hold, the development opportunity, and just what they can bring for my family and I, on and off the field. All of that was important to me. Now that I've made my decision, I'm sticking with it. I'm only planning on taking official visits to that one school,” the future Sooners quarterback added.

While O'Neal still has a long path of development to undertake, he already shows a lot of promise. His stature of 6-foot-3 despite being two years away from college is good because it signifies his comfort within his frame at an early age.

Moreover, his production has also not disappointed. During his most recent run with Newport Harbor High School, he was able to notch 2,475 passing yards. Not to mention, he also led his team to the end zone for 27 touchdowns. All of which are only going to improve as he gets more acquainted with the Oklahoma football program.