2025 Oklahoma 4-star WR commit Jaden Nickens runs for walk-off TD in playoff semifinal

Oklahoma City Millwood four-star wide receiver Jaden Nickens etched his name into Oklahoma preps history on Friday night.

In a Class 2A state semifinal matchup, Nickens awaited a kickoff as his team had just went down by one point with only 12 seconds to go. The Oklahoma Sooners commit collected the kick at the 23-yard line, immediately cut to the right side of the field, hit a seam and raced to the end zone for an improbable game-winning touchdown.

He hit pay dirt with no time left on the clock, sending Millwood to the state championship game:

WOW🤯

2025 Oklahoma 4-star WR commit Jaden Nickens took this kick back 77 yards for a walk-off TD to send his team to the state championship game‼️

(🎥: @CWillTV)https://t.co/jryxVktQxU

pic.twitter.com/Rs8QFIUtYN

— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) December 2, 2023

Nickens is the No. 113 overall prospect and No. 15 wideout in the 2025 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 2 player in Oklahoma.

He committed to the in-state Sooners on Aug. 12 and currently headlines Brent Venables’ junior pledge list, which already consists of eight prospects. Nickens is also one of six in-state recruits pledged to Oklahoma.

“Man really the coaches, they’re really installed into the program, and they just want to make kids like me better men in the world,” Nickens told On3 about his decision to pledge to the Sooners. “Especially knowing Coach Jones’ background a little just really stood out to me because I feel like he’s for me, and is about winning games! And I know he wants me to be a successful black man outside of football.”

Nickens headlines Top-10 recruiting class in 2025 cycle

Nickens headlines a trio of wide receivers committed to OU in the 2025 cycle. He’s flanked by Checotah (Okla.) four-star Elijah Thomas and Ennis (Texas) four-star Gracen Harris. Thomas is right behind Nickens, checking in as the No. 130 recruit in the cycle, while Harris is a top-250 prospect himself.

Other commits in the Sooners’ class include a trio of teammates from Oklahoma City Carl Albert High: four-star quarterback Kevin Sperry, four-star athlete Trynae Washington and three-star linebacker Marcus James. Sperry is also a top-300 recruit and is the No. 20 QB in the cycle. He was the Sooners’ first commit in the 2025 class.

“The people really stand out to me and the people in the program are strong,” Sperry told On3. “The program called S.O.U.L. Mission helps the players become good people. Coach Brent Venables is about his players and making them great people, not just great football players. People are what it’s about at Oklahoma.”

Oklahoma’s ’25 class already ranks No. 8 in the nation, according to the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings. It’s also 5th in the SEC, behind Alabama, Georgia, LSU and Auburn.