Brent Venables adds fifth Class of 2026 recruit with the commitment of Safety Niko Jandreau

Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables and his staff received a boost to their 2026 recruiting class with the commitment of three-star safety Niko Jandreau. The Chandler (Arizona) standout announced his decision on Tuesday, selecting the Sooners over offers from Missouri, USC and Washington.

Jandreau, listed at 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds on 247Sports, becomes the fifth overall pledge in Oklahoma’s 2026 class and represents the first defensive commitment for the cycle. His addition ends a recruiting drought for the Sooners, whose last commitment came in January with four-star wideout Daniel Odom out of St. John Bosco (California).

Rated the No. 17 safety nationally by 247Sports, Jandreau plays for one of Arizona’s top high school programs. Hamilton finished last season with 10 wins and was ranked the No. 3 team in the state, according to the On3 Composite.

Jandreau joins Odom, four-star quarterback Jaden O’Neal, three-star tight end Ryder Mix and three-star offensive lineman Will Conroy in Oklahoma’s 2026 haul.

Oklahoma also remains in the mix for Niko’s twin brother, Beau Jandreau, a three-star linebacker. Beau is weighing interest from several programs, including Oregon, USC and Washington, and is expected to visit Oklahoma later this summer.

With Jandreau on board, Venables has begun shaping a more balanced and promising class on both sides of the ball.

Faith, fit, and the SEC: Why Niko Jandreau committed to Oklahoma

Three-star safety Niko Jandreau chose the Sooners over offers from USC, Washington, Missouri and Arizona State. The Chandler standout made his decision after a spring visit to Norman, citing the program’s culture and developmental focus as major influences.

“I have always wanted to play in the SEC or the Big Ten because that is where college football is going and I love what Oklahoma is doing,” Jandreau told On3. “The SEC has the highest production, they have great players and I like their staff a lot.”

Jandreau emphasized the importance of faith and culture in his college search—values he felt were fully aligned at OU.

“When I was breaking down schools, faith is very important and the right culture is what I have always been looking for. Oklahoma is strong in both of those,” he said. “Winning is important too, and I am looking to be developed. Oklahoma has all of those things.”

Head coach Brent Venables played a major role in sealing the deal.

“Coach V is awesome. We’ve had numerous talks about faith, how he believes and how they develop players through SOUL Mission. That was big for me,” Jandreau said.

Safeties coach Brandon Hall’s efforts continue to strengthen the depth of OU’s secondary.