Oklahoma has seen its share of departures this spring via the transfer portal. The departures have come mainly from the defensive side of the ball as the Sooners retool following their 6-7 season.
While much of the roster that will contribute in the fall is already assembled, there’s always room to add talent that has produced at the collegiate level. So, it makes a lot of sense that Oklahoma offered Ferris State transfer linebacker Konnor Near.
Near, a linebacker with two years of eligibility, entered the portal toward the end of April. He picked up an offer from Sooners’ defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Ted Roof.
In his time at Division II Ferris State, Near was an All-American and helped Ferris State win its second straight national title in 2022. That kind of proven experience, albeit at a lower level, is something Brent Venables would love to add to a talented but young linebacker room.
Excited to announce that I’ve received an offer from Oklahoma‼️@CoachTedRoof pic.twitter.com/6PkkiGc7ZT
— Konnor Near (@konnor_near) April 30, 2023
Michigan State may be the leader by default considering Near is from Michigan. So the connection and ability to play for a major Power Five school in the state he’s from could be very appealing.
Outside of the Sooners and the Spartans, Near has picked up solid Power Five offers, including West Virginia, Duke, Georgia Tech, Texas Tech and Washington State.
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