Oklahoma poaches edge rusher from Arkansas

Oklahoma poached one of the top players from a fellow Southeastern Conference school on Wednesday as edge rusher Matthew Nelson signed with the Sooners on the first day of the early signing period.

Nelson, a native of Bryant, Arkansas, didn’t pick up an offer from the Razorbacks until November, despite ranking as a borderline four-star recruit. He had already been committed to Oklahoma since June.

Through early November, Nelson had registered 51 tackles, including 22 for loss, 21 quarterback hurries, 7 1/2 sacks, and a forced fumble for Bryant High. The Hornets have won the state championship in Arkansas’ largest classification in six of the last seven seasons.

Even as a linebacker/defensive end hybrid, Nelson shows freakish athletic ability. At 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, Nelson won the Arkansas Class 6A 110-meter hurdles state championship as a junior and placed second in the 300-meter hurdles.

Nelson is one of four edge rushers Oklahoma had committed through Wednesday morning, joining Florida’s Daniel Norman, Indiana’s Dane Bathurst and Jake Kruel, also from Florida.

Matthew Nelson Highlights

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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Matthew Nelson, a four-star edge rusher, signs with Oklahoma