As the 2025 college football season wraps up, draft-eligible Oklahoma Sooners players are turning to postseason all-star games to enhance their prospects for the 2026 NFL Draft. These events provide a platform for prospects to showcase skills against peers under NFL scrutiny. The Sooners, fresh from a College Football Playoff appearance, face significant roster turnover with many seniors exhausting eligibility.
The 2025 college football campaign nears its end, with bowl games and the College Football Playoff as the final hurdles before the offseason. For players concluding their collegiate tenures—either due to exhausted eligibility or early professional decisions—the focus shifts to the 2026 NFL Draft in late April. Beyond the NFL Scouting Combine and college pro days, all-star games offer live-action opportunities to impress scouts, coaches, and executives from NFL teams.
These matchups pit draft hopefuls against one another, providing visibility especially for lesser-known players or those from smaller programs. Six such games are slated after the season:
- The FCS Bowl in Daytona Beach, Florida, postponed due to unforeseen circumstances, with updates pending.
- Hula Bowl on January 10 in Orlando, Florida, at 11:00 a.m. CT, featuring Team Aina versus Team Kai.
- Tropical Bowl on January 18 in Orlando, Florida, at 10:00 a.m. CT, with American Team against National Team.
- East-West Shrine Bowl on January 27 in Frisco, Texas, at 7:00 p.m. CT, East Team versus West Team.
- Senior Bowl on January 31 in Mobile, Alabama, at 1:30 p.m. CT, American Team versus National Team.
- HBCU Legacy Bowl on February 21 in New Orleans, Louisiana, at 3:00 p.m. CT, Team Robinson versus Team Gaither.
Oklahoma Sooners had two players selected in the previous draft: linebacker Danny Stutsman and defensive back Billy Bowman Jr. Expectations are higher for 2026, with numerous seniors no longer eligible. On offense, Jaydn Ott, Jaren Kanak, Deion Burks, Keontez Lewis, Febechi Nwaiwu, Derek Simmons, Will Huggins, and Major Melson have played beyond four games this season. Defensively, Robert Spears-Jennings, R Mason Thomas, Damonic Williams, Gracen Halton, Marvin Jones Jr., and Kendal Daniels face the same situation.
Several of these athletes have received invitations to participate, offering a chance to solidify their draft positions and secure NFL roster spots. Following their 2025 playoff run, the Sooners must rebuild veteran presence to aim for another postseason berth next year.
