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Oklahoma Sooners trending for elite 5-star Lone Star State prospect

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Oklahoma Sooners trending for elite 5-star Lone Star State prospect


After rounding out the 2024 recruiting cycle with a top-10 class in the nation, Oklahoma is already on pace to do the same with its 2025 class.

The Sooners already have 10 commits in the fold, as of Feb. 12. The best may be yet to come, as well. Brent Venables and his staff are trending for multiple elite prospects, including Galveston (Texas) Ball five-star linebacker Jonah Williams.

The No. 13 overall prospect and No. 2 LB in the On3 Industry Ranking was recently back in Norman for a January Junior Day visit. Soon after, Oklahoma recruiting insider Josh McCuistion logged a pick in the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM) in favor of the Sooners landing the 6-foot-3, 200-pounder.

Multiple reasons have OU considered a frontrunner for one of the best recruits in The Lone Star State. For starters, Williams is eyeing the chance to be a two-sport athlete — something that is far from a turn-off for the Sooners staff.

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“Jonah is a guy that — I think you’re seeing Oklahoma have success with a couple of things that have kind of worked in their favor. First of all, big-time baseball background and Oklahoma has done a good job with those kind of athletes,” McCuistion said on ‘The Inside Scoop’.

Sooners see Williams as a safety — not at linebacker

The five-star is listed as a linebacker, but Williams is seen as a safety in the eyes of the Sooners. Starting out as a DB differentiates the new SEC program from other contenders for his pledge.

“I think you’re seeing Oklahoma work well there…I think Jonah has bought into that. Also, a lot of schools early on were talking to Jonah about linebacker, which is obviously where On3 has him ranked as well. Oklahoma’s been very adamant — they want him as a safety, that’s where they see him starting out,” McCuistion said.

“He’s a big kid, linebacker is a possibility in any scheme, but I think they’re sincere in letting him have that opportunity, which is what I think he wants to start with.”

Ohio State and Texas A&M also had Williams on campus to kick off 2024. Texas and Oregon also figure to be factors in his recruitment before he puts pen to paper. It’s still early in the 2025 cycle, but the Sooners look to be in good shape to wrangle a pledge from another elite prospect.

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Williams has an On3 NIL Valuation of $139K. The On3 NIL Valuation is the industry’s leading index that sets high school and college athletes’ projected annual value (PAV). The NIL valuation does not act as a tracker of the value of NIL deals an athlete has completed to date. It rather signifies an athlete’s value at a certain moment in time.



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Oklahoma

Oklahoma leaders react after U.S. and Israel launch joint attack on Iran

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Oklahoma leaders react after U.S.  and Israel launch joint attack on Iran


State leaders are reacting after the United States launched an attack on Iran Saturday morning.

U.S. Senator James Lankford said he is praying for the safety of the American service members involved in the attack.

“Iran remains the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism and has long threatened the United States and our allies. Today’s military actions underscore the seriousness of that threat and the need to prevent Iran from ever obtaining a nuclear weapon,” Lankford said. “I’m praying for the safety of every American service member involved in these operations and for their families at home. God bless our troops and God bless America.”

Lankford also said that any Americans in the Middle East should keep an eye out for advisories and guidance from the U.S. Department of State.

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U.S. Representative Tom Cole released a statement following the attack:

It’s a time of reckoning for those who chant ‘Death to America.’ President Trump is right when he calls the effort to eradicate Iran’s nuclear weapons program and give its people the opportunity to seize their freedom ‘a noble mission.’ The evil Iranian regime has been the leading state sponsor of terror for decades. It has killed thousands of people within and beyond its borders, including hundreds of Americans. It must be defanged and dismantled.

The President did not take this action lightly or impulsively. He has warned Iran repeatedly that it must change its policies and its actions. He has negotiated with Iran in good faith and with great clarity. It was the Iranian regime that chose to ignore those warnings and make a mockery of those negotiations. In doing so, its tyrannical leaders made an enormous miscalculation.

Our Commander in Chief has made clear that his goal is not just to stop Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. It is also to give the Iranian people a chance to take back their country. Self-determination and freedom will be theirs to claim. I hope they will.

Like every American, my thoughts and prayers are with our brave and capable men and women in uniform who are carrying out this noble but hard and dangerous mission. I know that they will have the unwavering support of every American, and I am confident that they will acquit themselves with honor and distinction.

May God protect our troops and the innocent Iranian people – and once again – as He so often has, bless America.

U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin said he is praying for the United States’ men and women in uniform in a post on Saturday.

“May God bless and protect our men and women in uniform—the greatest peacekeeping force in the history of the world. Americans are praying for your safety in this mission,” Mullin said.

U.S. Representative Kevin Hern said the Iranian regime is a threat to the U.S. and President Trump was left with no other choice than to take action.

As the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism, the Iranian regime is an active threat to the United States, our allies, and stability across the Middle East.”

Iran’s refusal to accept a deal left President Trump with no choice other than to take decisive action to ensure the regime never possesses a nuclear weapon. There is no peace without strength, and the United States will not sit by while this regime pursues their nuclear ambitions, fuels their terrorist proxies, and brutalizes the Iranian people. I’m praying for our brave troops in the region. May God bless them, and may God bless the United States.

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond said in a social media post that his prayers are with President Trump and Secretary Pete Hegseth as they work to achieve a safer world.

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“God bless and protect the men and women of the United States military engaged in the Middle East this weekend. My prayers are with our military, President Trump, Secretary Hegseth, and our Generals, as they use American force to achieve a safer world for the future of our children and grandchildren,” Drummond said.



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Oklahoma County commissioners weigh state audit of jail trust amid detention center woes

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Oklahoma County commissioners weigh state audit of jail trust amid detention center woes


An investigative audit into the Oklahoma County Criminal Justice Authority; it’s something the Oklahoma County Board of Commissioners is considering.

Fox 25 has been covering issues with the Oklahoma County Detention Center for years, from failed inspections to staffing issues and missed paychecks.

The issues had members of the Jail Trust recommending last June they undergo a performance review. Now, in a letter recently issued, county commissioners are asking State Auditor Cindy Byrd to look into the county Criminal Justice Authority, also known as the jail trust. But whether it’s tied to those ongoing issues remains unclear.

“I really wouldn’t know. I wouldn’t know where to begin with that. I just wouldn’t even want to speculate, honestly,” said Commissioner Myles Davidson.

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Commissioner Davidson told FOX 25 if the audit were to happen, it wouldn’t be cheap.

“To go into a budget that we’re extremely tight on, and start adding hundreds of thousands of dollars, and time, these audits don’t happen overnight. I don’t know that we would have an answer to any question we could possibly ask before the budgetary cycle is over,” said Davidson.

Davidson said that cycle ends June 1. Instead, he’s suggesting they look into existing audits to see if there’s any useful information there first.

“I would simply say that we need to look at the audits that have been submitted already to the state auditor that the jail trust has already paid for, and then if we have questions about those, we need to bring in that auditing agency and question them. We do have the authority to do that,” Davidsons said.

However, Davidson isn’t sure they have the authority to request this audit.

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“When it comes to statute, we have to have it lined out, expressly in statute that we have this authority, and every county commissioner across the state has to abide by that,” he said.

Davidson said they’ll be meeting Monday to find out whether or not they do have the authority to request this audit. He told FOX 25 the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s office reached out to folks with Cindy Byrd’s office and was told the audit would cost $100,000, adding that she’s so swamped that she can’t do it this calendar year.

FOX 25 also reached out to Jason Lowe’s office but they said they have no comment.



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Oklahoma lawmakers vote to rename turnpike in honor of Toby Keith

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Oklahoma lawmakers vote to rename turnpike in honor of Toby Keith


OKLAHOMA CITY (KSWO) — Oklahoma lawmakers have voted to honor country music artist and Oklahoma native Toby Keith.

House Concurrent Resolution 1019 recognizes Keith’s lasting impact on music and proposes renaming a planned turnpike in his memory.

The concurrent resolution was authored by Rep. Jason Blair, R-Morgan, and Sen. Lisa Standridge, R-Norman.

The planned route will extend from Interstate 44 east to Interstate 35, then continue east and north to I-40 at the Kickapoo Turnpike.

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