Players listen when Oklahoma head football coach Brent Venables and co-defensive coordinator and defensive tackles coach Todd Bates come calling.
That’s been the case for Missouri defensive lineman Mekhi Wingo. Wingo entered the transfer portal recently, received an offer from the Sooners and announced Oklahoma had made the cut in his final four schools.
Thank you to every school that I have talked to but I would like to focus on these 4 schools @RazorbackFB @USC_FB @LSUfootball @OU_Football pic.twitter.com/T1tVGgFkZr
— mekhi wingo (@WingoMekhi) January 11, 2022
Wingo is choosing among Oklahoma, Arkansas, LSU and USC.
LSU just hired Wingo’s former high school coach and former Missouri defensive back Robert Steeples onto its staff, so that figures to be a challenge for the Sooners’ attempt to win Wingo’s transfer portal recruitment.
Wingo recorded 27 tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack and one interception during the 2021 season. The Saint Louis, Missouri, native returned that interception 40 yards for a touchdown against North Texas.
Wingo earned a spot on the SEC All-Freshman team for his play in 2021. In the Tigers’ bowl game against Army, Wingo had six tackles.
No pun intended, but the Sooners have some holes to plug up front along their defensive line after outside linebacker Nik Bonitto, defensive lineman Isaiah Thomas and defensive lineman Perrion Winfrey declared for the 2022 NFL draft.
Bonitto, Thomas and Winfrey each ranked among Oklahoma’s top-three tackles for loss and sacks production leaders in 2021. Bonitto had 15 tackles for loss and seven sacks, Thomas recorded 11.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks and Winfrey registered 11 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks.
OU returns defensive tackle Jalen Redmond. Redmond is set to be a redshirt junior and he finished with nine tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks in nine games during the 2021 season.
Oklahoma has already added one defensive lineman out of the transfer portal. Hawaii defensive lineman Jonah Laulu recently announced his commitment to the Sooners.
Laulu finished the 2021 season with 33 tackles and four sacks.
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