Nagy Explains Oklahoma’s Selective Approach to NIL Recruiting

 HOF College Football Staff Report

In the ever-shifting world of college football recruiting, Oklahoma’s new general manager Jim Nagy made it clear this week: the Sooners won’t be lured into overspending on 5-star hype.

Appearing on Fox Sports’ Triple Option Podcast with Rob Stone, Urban Meyer, and Mark Ingram, Nagy emphasized that the Sooners are focused on value, not ratings, as they navigate the chaotic landscape of NIL-driven recruiting.

“We’ve got a grading scale we’re going to stick to,” Nagy said. “It’s a color-based system similar to what I used in the NFL. It helps us stay consistent and disciplined — especially when it comes to what we’re willing to spend.”

Nagy’s background includes nearly two decades in NFL front offices and a seven-year run as executive director of the Senior Bowl, where he earned a reputation as one of the sport’s sharpest talent evaluators. Now tasked with building Brent Venables’ roster at Oklahoma, Nagy’s role includes overseeing player evaluation, recruitment, compensation and retention — a job made all the more complex by a hard NIL salary cap of $20.5 million enacted on July 1.

That new cap is part of why Nagy says Oklahoma won’t be chasing the biggest names at any cost.

“I think 5-stars want to get paid like 5-stars,” Nagy said. “But we’re not going to throw around money just because someone has stars next to their name on a website.”

While Oklahoma has certainly landed program-altering 5-star players in the past — like Adrian Peterson and Gerald McCoy — the Sooners also have a long list of highly rated prospects who never lived up to expectations.

“Look at NFL rosters,” Nagy said. “They’re filled with former 2- and 3-star players. That tells you there’s value out there. We just have to find it and trust our evaluation process.”

Nagy explained that Oklahoma grades all prospects on its internal scale before official visit season begins. At that point, the market — driven largely by star rankings — begins to reveal itself.

“If we’ve got the same grade on two players — one who’s taking visits to Ohio State and Texas, and one who’s visiting Group of 5 programs — we’re going to find more value in the second,” he said.

That disciplined approach may not always lead to a top-5 recruiting ranking, but it aligns with Nagy’s belief that smart roster-building isn’t about chasing clout. It’s about identifying and developing the right guys, regardless of what Rivals, 247Sports, or On3 say.

“We respect those services,” Nagy added. “But we’re building a program based on what we see