Boom News! | ’26 DT James “Tank” Carrington Commits to Oklahoma!
Posted on: August 16, 2025
The Sooners add a talented piece to the 2026 recruiting class on the defensive side of the ball as defensive lineman James “Tank” Carrington (6’2 260), out of Irvine, California, has announced the completion of his flip from Florida State to the University of Oklahoma!
Carrington has the size and strength to compete in the SEC’s demanding trench battles. His ability to play both defensive end and tackle offers flexibility to Oklahoma’s defensive schemes under head coach Brent Venables. His wrestling background, including being an All-American and Maryland state runner-up, enhances his leverage, hand placement, and body control, which are key attributes for a dominant defensive lineman.
His junior season stats were really pretty stout as he had 33 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, and nine sacks, which demonstrated his disruptive presence on the field. His quick first step and power allow him to dominate high school offensive linemen, and with further technical refinement, he has the potential to excel in Norman.
Carrington fits Brent Venables’ and general manager Jim Nagy’s emphasis on building physical, SEC-caliber defensive lines. He joins Brian Harris and edge rushers Jake Kreul, Daniel Norman, and Matthew Nelson in bolstering a unit designed to compete against top-tier competition.
Carrington’s combination of size, athleticism, versatility, and alignment with Oklahoma’s defensive needs makes him a really nice addition to the 2026 class. Kind of reminds me of Gracen Halton.
He holds dozens of offers from around the country as he blew up early in his recruitment, picking up multiple offers as a true high school freshman. The Sooners hosted him back in 2024, and they were scheduled to receive an official visit in June of this year, but that visit never took place as Carrington had settled on Florida State and announced his commitment to the Noles on June 13th.
Oh my, how the turntables…something like that. It’s nice for OU to be on this side of the flip machine as the Sooners made quick work of taking him out of Florida State’s class and adding him to theirs!
Nice addition to the class!
