One of the offseason’s biggest recruiting headlines came Thursday when Cooper Hackett, a five-star offensive tackle in the 2027 class, announced he is flipping from Texas Tech and committing to Oklahoma. Hackett had been pledged to the Red Raiders since August, but his shift to Norman sparked immediate reaction. The move follows months of talk about Texas Tech’s NIL push.
Cooper Hackett Heads to Norman: Fans Question Texas Tech’s Big-Money Strategy
The Sooners landed a cornerstone piece for its future Thursday when Hackett, the nation’s top-ranked player in Oklahoma and a five-star offensive tackle in the 2027 class, flipped his commitment from Texas Tech to OU.
Hackett had been committed to Texas Tech since August 30, but the Sooners kept the in-state star home.
“I love the Oklahoma boys,” Hackett told On3. “I feel like I have a great connection with the players there. There hasn’t been a day my family hasn’t talked to or I haven’t talked to a coach at Oklahoma. It’s not just Coach Bedenbaugh. I talk to all the coaches there. The defensive coaches. It felt like home when I go up there.”
🚨BREAKING🚨 2027 5-star OT Cooper Hackett has flipped his commitment from Texas Tech to Oklahoma, @Hayesfawcett3 reports⭕️https://t.co/Y7cMxJRDD3 pic.twitter.com/eFGo3PcHnX
— Rivals (@Rivals) September 25, 2025
The reaction from fans was swift. Social media was flooded with responses such as, “Oil money already dry?”
Oil money already dry?
— Dylan (@dylan15150) September 25, 2025
“Raiders got raided lol,” a fan quipped.
Naturally, the flip stoked the fires of the rivalry, allowing fans to poke fun at the Red Raiders.
“Texas Tech broke?,” another said.
Texas Tech broke?
— College Football Down South (@CFBdownSOUTH) September 25, 2025
Others pointed out that blue blood programs often win battles like this, with one fan writing, “Tech fans really flexing thinking they stole a recruit from OU’s backyard lol. Sure now they will have excuses hahahaha. Na if a blue blood really wants a player, they will get them, tech will never compete with that.”
Hackett attended Oklahoma’s wins over Michigan and Auburn this fall, and he said his experiences reinforced the decision.
“It’s always felt like home,” he said. “I’ve been there the last two games, the environment, the locker room, it’s really a place I can feel at home. I love Coach (Brent) Venables. (Offensive line) Coach (Bill) Bedenbaugh has proven he can get me to the NFL that’s a big thing. I really want to play in the SEC. Watching (Michael) Fasusi start against Michigan is also crazy. That’s big time. You don’t get to see a lot of players do that.”
Texas Tech’s recruiting loss comes after one of the most aggressive NIL pushes in college football. On3’s Pete Nakos reported the Red Raiders spent $28 million on NIL in 2025, a figure second only to Texas.
Much of that effort has been driven by billionaire booster Cody Campbell, a former Texas Tech offensive lineman who built his fortune in the oil industry. Still, the investment was not enough to hold Hackett.
“It’s a good chunk less,” Hackett said about choosing Oklahoma over Tech’s NIL offers. “If I’m in the NFL which is what I want to do overall, that money is not going to matter and I’m going to bet on myself a good amount of the time and that’s what I’m doing.”
Hackett made clear that Oklahoma was always the standard by which he measured other programs.
“Oklahoma was the school Hackett was always comparing others to,” he said.
In the end, the Sooners’ culture, coaching staff, and path to the NFL outweighed Texas Tech’s financial appeal.
