2025 class prospect & Four-Star ATH CJ Nickson commits to Oklahoma: Reports

Weatherford four-star edge rusher CJ Nickson has officially committed to the Oklahoma Sooners' 2025 class, marking the sixth commitment from the state of Oklahoma in this recruiting cycle.

Nickson had narrowed his choices down to the Sooners and Oklahoma State earlier this month and took visits to both schools before making his decision.

Nickson has been a familiar face in Norman throughout the 2023 season, as he attended nearly every home game and also made a Junior Day visit in January. Most recently, he made an official visit during the program's ChampUBBQ recruiting weekend, which featured many Oklahoma commits and targets.

The ChampUBBQ event also brought several former OU football players back to campus to speak with recruits. This experience, combined with the program's strong pitch, likely played a crucial role in Nickson's decision. He now becomes the second commitment from those who attended the event, joining Emmanuel Choice.

Nickson will join a defensive line class under head coach Brent Venables that includes defensive tackles Ka'Mori Moore and Trent Wilson, as well as defensive end Alexander Shieldknight. His commitment is set to boost an already incredible 2025 class for the Sooners, which now boasts 18 verbal commits.

June has been a big month for Oklahoma. Besides Nickson, they also landed pledges from four-star wide receiver Marcus Harris, three-star wide receiver Emmanuel Choice, four-star quarterback Jaden O'Neal, and three-star tight end Ryder Mix.

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CJ Nickson shares why he picked Oklahoma over others

CJ Nickson received offers from top-tier programs including Auburn, Georgia, Oklahoma State, LSU, and Notre Dame, but ultimately chose the Sooners for a combination of longstanding support and opportunities across multiple sports. He shared his take on this with OUInsider's Brandon Drumm.

"They have been on me since the start. Coach [Brent] Venables and Coach [Miguel] Chavis have believed in me to be a good football player. They stuck with me through it all, even [with] me wanting to play basketball in college," he said.

CJ Nickson is listed as the No. 4 player in Oklahoma for the class of 2025 and the No. 153 overall player in the nation, per On3 Industry Ranking. 247 Sports ranks him as the No. 1 player in Oklahoma for the class of 2025 and the No. 74 overall player in the nation.

As an edge rusher in 2023, Nickson recorded 54 tackles, including five for loss, along with one sack and five pass breakups during his standout junior season in 2023, while as a tight end, he hauled in 34 receptions for 557 yards and five touchdowns.

CJ Nickson is actually a two-way star, who is a phenomenal basketball star as well. His decision to commit to Oklahoma was also bolstered by an opportunity to play basketball under the guidance of head coach Porter Moser.