Brent Venables’ Oklahoma quarterback target, Peyton Houston, was the first player to commit to LSU. He is the headline of the Tigers’ 2027 class, which has only one other committed player: four-star edge Jaiden Bryant.
Can Brent Venables Flip Peyton Houston From LSU to Oklahoma?
Houston chose LSU over Venables’ Oklahoma alongside USC, Texas, and Texas A&M. Until he officially signs with the Tigers in December, Venables and the Sooners staff still have a window to recruit him and possibly flip his commitment, but that won’t be easy.
Houston doubled down on his commitment to LSU, saying:
“It felt like home. Geaux Tigers.”
Houston is the godbrother of former LSU All-American and Super Bowl LV champion Devin White. He is coming off consecutive standout seasons at Evangel Christian Academy, which proved why he is regarded as one of the top high school quarterbacks. He passed for 3,836 yards and 42 touchdowns with nine interceptions last season, while also rushing for over 900 yards and 12 touchdowns, according to MaxPreps.
This performance came after a phenomenal sophomore season in 2024 when Houston recorded 4,480 passing yards and 38 touchdowns with six interceptions on 310-of-443 passing. He also added 690 rushing yards and seven scores, averaging 6.6 yards per carry, and his performance earned him first-team All-District, first-team All-Prep, and first-team LSWA All-State honors.
Houston is ranked as the No. 7 quarterback in the 2027 class, the No. 5 recruit in Louisiana, and the No. 99 prospect in the nation, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking. If he stays with LSU, he will be a massive addition to the Tigers’ offense, which finished last season with a 76.1 score in the PFSN College Football Offense Impact Score.
Houston was initially recruited to LSU by former offensive coordinator Joe Sloan and has stayed committed as the program transitions to a new coaching staff led by Lane Kiffin. Houston also visited Baton Rouge with his family to spend time with Kiffin and the new LSU staff, which strengthened his pledge.
As for Oklahoma’s chances, flipping Houston away from his in-state LSU program under Kiffin will be difficult, but recruiting landscapes can change quickly, and surprise flips are common in modern college football. The fact that the Sooners were once viewed as the favorite for much of his recruitment shows they were firmly in contention.
Houston also built a strong relationship with Oklahoma offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle. Confidence in Oklahoma’s pursuit grew after his visit during the Sooners’ 24-13 win over Michigan on Sept. 6. According to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine, Oklahoma held the second-best odds at 34.3%, trailing LSU’s 61.3%.
Despite missing out on Houston, Oklahoma already has a quarterback committed in its 2027 class with four-star prospect Jamison Roberts. The Sooners’ 2027 class currently sits No. 1 in the country with 19 commitments, led by five-star offensive tackle Cooper Hackett.
