A general view of an Oklahoma Sooners helmet. Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Oklahoma lands in-state four-star CB over numerous top schools

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated 5/7/24

If you've heard it once you've heard it a million times around recruiting circles, but it doesn't make the saying any less true.

In-state recruiting really is the lifeblood of any upper-echelon college football program. Getting the top recruits in your own backyard to stay within the state lines (and away from your in-state rivals) is a massive leg-up on the recruiting trail.

As such, Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables and his staff have to be extremely excited about their latest recruiting win. Trystan Haynes, a four-star cornerback out of Oklahoma City, has committed to the Sooners.

“I ended up choosing Oklahoma at the end of my process,” Haynes told On3. “It was the atmosphere and the fans. Every time I went up there they showed tons of love.

1000% COMMITED pic.twitter.com/rVYMmngWZy
— Trystan Haynes (@Haynes5Trystan) May 7, 2024

Texas A&M, Georgia, Notre Dame, Miami and Alabama were all also in the running for Haynes' commitment, but ultimately, OU's staff played a big role in getting the four-star to stay in-state.

Haynes spoke highly about Venables and cornerback's coach Jay Valai.

“The coaches played a huge part as well. I had a really good relationship with Coach Valai And Coach V and trust their ability to develop me as a player and as a person as throughout they have both been helping in terms of skill at their camps and just talking randomly with me checking in on me letting me know that I was a key piece to the plans they had coming into the SEC," Haynes said.

Haynes will go down as a big commitment for the Sooners. According to 247Sports, he's the No. 12 cornerback recruit in the 2025 class.
Venables' 2025 class is currently ranked No. 4 nationally behind only Notre Dame, Ohio State and LSU.

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