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Oklahoma Sooners stars John Mateer, Isaiah Sategna III and Kip Lewis will return for their final years of college eligibility in 2026.
Even better, Brent Venables convinced trusted kicker Tate Sandell to return for one more year with the Sooners.
Not only is this a great thing for the immediate future, it’s also another sign of one of Venables’ greatest traits — retention. Specifically, with players who could have left for greener pastures in the pros.
Venables’ knack for convincing top talents to stay one more year — developing further while chasing wins at OU — shines as a beacon of hope in today’s chaotic NIL era, where players get paid big and can bolt whenever they please.
Oklahoma coach Brent Venables | Carson Field, Sooners On SI
Some players from 2025 have been processed, or chased better NIL deals or roles elsewhere — with some exits hurting more than others. Since program-player talks stay private, we’ll never know if it was just the cost of modern college football or if bigger paydays/opportunities beckoned.
But what we can access is that going into his fifth season, Venables’s teams tend to stick together and improve from within.
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Most recently, Billy Bowman Jr. and Danny Stutsman opted for a final run with the Sooners for their senior campaigns. 2024 was a disaster for Oklahoma, yet neither Bowman nor Stutsman voiced any dissent during the tough 6-7 season.
For both players, neither saw a drop in NFL Draft potential — each went in the fourth round and became rookie starters for the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints, respectively.
Following Venables’ first season as head coach, he was able to convince talents like Da’Jon Terry and Isaiah Coe to remain for a final year in 2023. Neither player had high hopes of an NFL future, but both players signed on to play for a Lincoln Riley-led program. Either player could have left or even attempted to declare for the draft, neither did.
Venables needed both players to help build what has become one of the strongest defensive line units in the country, and he convinced them both to stay.
Oklahoma’s Danny Stutsman, Billy Bowman | John E. Hoover / Sooners On SI
The impact wasn’t felt at the time, but Venables was also able to hold on to Hawaii transfer Jonah Laulu for a final year in 2023. There was no fanfare following Laulu’s decision to stay, but his impact was felt on the field all the way to an NFL Draft selection and now a two-year starter with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Even Deion Burks — who never quite matched his Purdue hype, though that’s not all on him — staying put is another nod to Venables’ knack for earning player buy-in and loyalty.
When you’re trying to build a program in the NIL world, having upperclassmen who know the verbiage, culture and produce on the field is an invaluable resource.
Compare what Oklahoma is doing under Venables to what their arch rival in Texas has done.
Oklahoma wide receiver Deion Burks catches a pass against Alabama in the CFP. | Carson Field, Sooners On SI
Under Steve Sarkisian, the Longhorns have loaded up on talent and have reinserted themselves in the NFL Draft discussion. That’s a good thing. Yet, it does seem that more times than not, players who have the opportunity to seek the professional ranks do so at the first chance.
Anthony Hill Jr., Malik Muhammad and Jack Endries all declared for the draft with one year remaining. Each player has helped Texas build the program back to prominence. In their defense, it’s not as UT will not have more talent to potentially replace them — although, that’s not always the case.
Offensive linemen Kelvin Banks Jr. and Cameron Williams opted for the draft following the 2024 season. Their departure is what likely kept the Longhorns from the College Football Playoff as their offensive line struggled during 2025.
Venables is by no means batting a thousand. Offensive linemen Anton Harrison (2023 NFL Draft) and Tyler Guyton (2024 NFL Draft) left early as eventual first-round picks with a final season of eligibility remaining.
Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle Tyler Guyton blocks Green Bay Packers defensive end Micah Parsons | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
One could poke holes in Venables’ ability to keep draft-eligible players by suggesting that none of the players he’s been able to hold on to projected as top-draft picks — whereas Texas’ players have projected highly, explaining their early departures.
The results matter. Holding on to experienced players with a staff that has a proven track record in development helps Oklahoma. There may come a time when the Sooners can’t hold on to a freakishly talented edge rusher or superstar quarterback desptie Venables’ best efforts. But for now, the Sooners have a head coach who can continue to build from within. A rarity.