Top linebacker Jacob Curry looks back at Oklahoma commitment

Not long after setting foot in Norman, Oklahoma, Jacob Curry said he knew where he would play his college football. 

The St. Augustine (Fla.) Nease High School defender, who burst onto the recruiting scene during his run as the County Defensive Player of the Year as a junior in 2024, was set to take a slew of fall official visits to determine where the next step would take place. 

OU would compete with Ohio State, Florida State and many other programs since Curry backed off of a commitment to Northwestern in late August. He went public with the Sooners selection on October 10, just a few weeks after the trip to SEC country. 

"When I stepped on campus, it really felt like a pure-family atmosphere there," he said. "The coaches, I whole-heartedly believe they will develop me and do the best to bring me to the next level of football. And also to develop me as a man. 

"The culture fits me perfectly. I knew when I got there on the OV."

The newest OU commitment spent time with several players during the weekend, including time in the winning locker room after its top-25 matchup against Michigan. 

The commitment decision came with a shut down of the recruiting process for Curry. It means he will no longer consider other programs, including for visits, for the remainder of the year until he can make things official with the Sooners during the Early Signing Period in December. 

Part of the reason there is maximum comfort with the OU decision coincides with the coach that not only gave him the green light to pick the program, but the one who presented that element for the first time overall.

When New Mexico State entered the race for Curry with a scholarship offer back in October of 2023, the news came via assistant Nate Dreiling. There were stops at Utah State and Arkansas State in between the initial offer to the four-star linebacker and his hiring at Oklahoma back in February. 

Just a few months later, Dreiling extended the Sooner offer to the prospect he long coveted and it played a part in landing the commitment some three months after that. 

"He’s a great coach. I love him,” Curry added.

Oklahoma has worked well in the state of Florida for the class of 2026 thus far, with Curry joining the likes of defensive linemen Jake Kreul, Brian Harris and Daniel Norman from the state. The Sooners currently boast the No. 19 recruiting class in the country. 

The latest addition, Curry, continues to shine as a senior at NHS, logging 15 tackles, including four sacks and five tackles for loss in his latest outing.