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Boise State DT Braxton Fely Joins Oklahoma After Temporary Court Ruling
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- Boise State DT Braxton Fely Joins Oklahoma After Temporary Court Ruling
(Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)
Oklahoma is not done adding pieces on the defensive line.
On Thursday, former Boise State defensive tackle Braxton Fely got a temporary court order that keeps the NCAA from blocking him for now, and that was enough for the Sooners to bring him in right before the season starts.
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This is not a final win on eligibility. It is a short-term ruling that lets Fely join the program while the bigger case plays out.
In plain terms, the court told the NCAA it cannot stop him at the moment. That gave Oklahoma the opening it needed.
Fely played four seasons at Boise State and was part of the 2022 recruiting class. That group has been stuck in the middle of the latest eligibility mess. The NCAA later created a path for extra seasons, but players from his class were left out until the court challenges started.
After going undrafted, Fely worked out for NFL teams, including the Cleveland Browns , but he never signed a contract. That matters, because it keeps him separate from the former NFL players some schools are trying to bring back.
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At 6-foot-1 and 296 pounds, Fely is built like a wrecking ball more than a prototype defensive tackle. He is strong, quick off the ball, and plays hard. At his pro day, he put up 38 reps on the bench.
Last season at Boise State, he had 24 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks. Over his career, he played in 56 games, started 40, and finished with 14 sacks and 20 tackles for loss. He was a two-time All-Mountain West honoree for a reason.
The best version of Fely is a penetrator. He can shoot gaps, push the pocket, and chase plays. He is not the biggest body in the world, and longer offensive linemen can give him trouble if they lock onto him.
Oklahoma does not need him to be a nose tackle who eats up every double team. The Sooners need disruptive depth inside, especially with a long season ahead.
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The timing is about as late as it gets. Oklahoma opens against UTEP on Friday night in Norman, and Fely is expected to be added to the roster as that game approaches. Whether he plays right away is still tied to how all of this settles. What is clear is that Brent Venables and the staff were willing to move quickly once the court gave them room.
This is becoming a theme around the sport. Rosters are being shaped in courtrooms as much as in the portal. Oklahoma has already navigated one complicated defensive line addition with Danny Saili .
Now comes Fely.
Different path, same reality.
The Sooners' administration made it very clear this week that they are not going to take in former professional athletes that have signed pro sports contracts, to play any of their sports, including football.
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If the ruling holds up, the Sooners get another experienced body on a defense that already looks strong up front. If things change again, at least they had him in the building instead of watching from the outside.
For a team trying to chase every edge before kickoff, that is the calculation. Fely has power, production, and enough juice to help if he is cleared to play.
Oklahoma decided that it was worth the late scramble.
