Top 5 landing spots for 4-star QB Jaden O'Neal ft. Oklahoma

By Maliha

Modified Jun 20, 2024 15:13 GMT

Jaden O'Neal, a four-star quarterback from the 2026 class, revealed his top 10 schools on Wednesday. The Miami Hurricanes, Florida State Seminoles, Colorado Buffaloes, Auburn Tigers, Arizona State Sun Devils, Penn State Nittany Lions, Oklahoma Sooners, Ohio State Buckeyes, Oregon Ducks, and Washington Huskies were the programs featured on his list.

The signal-caller shared the news on X:

"All Glory to God!!! “Where’s Home?”

Jaden O'Neal is the No. 78 ranked player in the class, the No. 6 quarterback in the country, and the No. 11 ranked player in California, according to On3 Industry Rankings. He completed over 60% of his passes for 2,475 yards and 27 touchdowns while adding another three rushing scores as a sophomore.

O'Neal is looking for a late July or early August commitment date, so let's look at five programs that have the most potential to land his commitment.

Top five landing spots for Jaden O'Neal

#5, Miami

The Miami Hurricanes have emerged as a strong contender for O'Neal's commitment after head coach Mario Cristobal extended an offer to him last year. The attempt to earn his pledge was complemented by a comprehensive campus tour, which piqued O'Neal's interest in the Hurricanes.

"The environment of Miami is a fun place to be," O'Neal noted to On3. "The community in Miami, they’re all about football. I feel like they’re like me because I’m huge on football. Football is my life. Being down there, I saw myself there."

#4, Washington

Jaden O'Neal's visit to Montlake in late April, during the winding down of Husky spring football practice, has put Washington firmly on his radar. The proximity to home, combined with the presence of coaches and schools with NFL experience, enhances Washington's chance to potentially secure his commitment.

Washington's future quarterback roster already includes freshman Demond Williams Jr., as well as 2025 commits Dash Beierly from Mater Dei High School in Southern California and Kini McMillan from Mililani High in Hawaii. O'Neal's addition would surely strengthen an already promising quarterback lineup.

#3, Oregon

The Ducks are aggressively pursuing top quarterback talent for the 2026 class, with O'Neal being a prime target. Oregon's offensive coordinator, Will Stein, is renowned for his quarterback development skills, which have caught O'Neal's attention.

"Coach Will Stein, I know he's doing a great job developing quarterbacks. I know just being up there, I just want to see the atmosphere, of course. I just want to see what their culture's like 'cause I haven't got a chance to actually be up there."

Oregon's lack of a committed quarterback for the 2026 class also presents a unique opportunity for O'Neal to step in.

#2, Colorado

Colorado's football program, led by Deion Sanders, is also making huge strides in recruiting, with Jaden O'Neal being a major focus. O'Neal's recent visit to Colorado left a strong impression due to the experienced coaching staff and positive interactions with Sanders.

“Colorado is going amazing. One big take away is Coach Deion is old-school coach who takes much pride in character and integrity with the players he recruits.”

O'Neal values development and relationships in his college decision-making process, and Colorado appears to meet these criteria well.

#1, Oklahoma

Oklahoma stands out as the frontrunner for Jaden O'Neal's commitment, as they have received multiple 247Sports crystal ball predictions favoring them to land O'Neal. On3, and Rivals also point towards Oklahoma as the likely destination.

O'Neal has actively engaged with the Sooners, visiting and participating in their camps over the summer. His performance in one-on-one drills has caught the attention of Oklahoma's offensive staff, including Seth Littrell. If he commits to Oklahoma, he would be the first quarterback to do so since Littrell's promotion to offensive coordinator.