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The Oklahoma Sooners have been making movement over the last couple of weeks on the defensive side of the ball in the 2026 recruiting class. Last week, they earned commitments from safety Niko Jandreau and linebacker Jakore Smith. They’re pushing for a pledge from one of the fastest-rising players in the cycle, Brian Harris. Now the Sooners are trending for another defensive lineman, edge rusher Matthew Nelson.
Nelson is an unrated prospect out of Little Rock, Ark., and plays his high school ball at Bryant, where Jakore Smith plays. Nelson is 6-foot-5 and weighs just over 215 pounds. He doesn’t hold a ton of Power Four offers, according to 247Sports, but he’s on Okahoma’s radar. According to Rivals, Nelson has an official visit scheduled for June 6, and Oklahoma appears to be the favorite for the athletic defensive end.
Rivals and OUInsider recruiting analyst Parker Thune and Cody Carpentier, who covers Texas Longhorns recruiting for Rivals, issued Futurecast predictions favoring the Oklahoma Sooners in his recruitment.
Nelson’s length and his athleticism really stand out on tape. He displays fantastic effort working to the ball carrier even when the play runs away from him. Nelson displays great discipline, setting the edge. He plays with good power, showing the ability to pull offensive tackles off balance to get around them and to the quarterback. Nelson’s quick off the line of scrimmage and plays with good leverage.
Nelson has a ton of potential, and assistant coach Miguel Chavis and the Oklahoma Sooners are in a strong position to add one of the underrated prospects in the 2026 recruiting class.
Matthew Nelson’s Highlights
Watch Matthew Nelson’s highlights on Hudl.
Vitals
Projected PositionDefensive EndHeightWeight215 poundsHometownBryant, Ark.
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Publish date : 2025-05-21 20:12:00
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