​Oct 11, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Oklahoma Sooners head coach Brent Venables before the game against the Texas Longhorns at the Cotton Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Oklahoma Sooners landed in the top eight among the schools Jordan Hicks is interested in, but USC and UCLA are leading the way.The Oklahoma Sooners find themselves in the mix for four-star safety Jordan Hicks, the 2028 recruit out of Mission Viejo, California, who recently trimmed his list to eight schools. Hicks, a top-150 player nationally and the No. 17 safety in his class according to the composite rankings, holds a 90.56 composite rating and ranks as the No. 6 player in California. His finalist list includes Texas A&M, Miami, USC, UCLA, Alabama, Oregon, Ole Miss, and Oklahoma.NEWS: Class 2028 4️⃣⭐️ defensive back Jordan Hicks has his top-eight schools list, he tells @CfbRalb & me for @247Sports‼️He shares why each program made the cut, the latest in his recruitment & more…READ HERE📝: https://t.co/AeW8n3irWVpic.twitter.com/q0FMniLVY5— Collin Kennedy (@CKennedy247) July 17, 2026USC and UCLA hold the early edgeThe two schools that stand out most on Hicks’ list are USC and UCLA, both sitting in his home state. He has already taken five visits, four to USC and one to UCLA. That visit disparity tells you where his attention has been so far. Oregon is another school that could factor in given its relative proximity to Southern California, but the in-state programs appear to have a significant head start.According to Rivals, USC leads the prediction at 47.2%, with UCLA second at 11.8%. Oklahoma’s chances sit under 1% on the Rivals industry rankings. That’s a steep hill to climb for the Sooners.Oklahoma’s California pipeline could helpOklahoma will have some catching up to do if the coaching staff truly wants Hicks. However, the Sooners have recruited California well over the past few years. In the 2027 recruiting class alone, Oklahoma has three players committed from the state. That pipeline matters. It shows recruits like Hicks that the Sooners are willing to go across the country to find talent, and that California players have found a home in Norman.The challenge is obvious. Hicks has yet to visit Oklahoma, and he’s already been to USC four times. When a recruit visits one school that many times, it typically signals strong mutual interest. The Sooners need to get him on campus and let him see what the program offers firsthand.What Hicks would bring to Oklahoma’s secondaryHicks has the size, speed, and length you look for in an SEC safety. That combination of physical tools is what makes him a top-150 prospect nationally. For an Oklahoma program that continues to build its roster for SEC competition, adding a player with his profile would be a significant win in the secondary.”He has the frame and athleticism to play either spot in college and offers the kind of positional versatility