Tag: 2022-2023 Transfer Portal

Where former Oklahoma Sooners landed after entering the transfer portal

Where did former Oklahoma Sooners end up after entering the transfer portal?

The Oklahoma Sooners have been working to remake the roster in the image of Brent Venables and his new defensive assistants. With the success they’ve had in the 2022 and 2023 recruiting classes, some transfer portal turnover was to be expected.

The transfer haul in the 2022-2023 portal cycle provided more talent and depth on the roster as the Sooners head into their final year in the Big 12. As 2022 showed, the talent on the roster simply wasn’t good enough to win close games in Big 12 play.

So Venables and his staff attacked the transfer portal to add a wealth of talent, particularly on the defensive side of the ball.

We know who the arrivals are in the transfer portal. Dasan McCullough, Walter Rouse, Rondell Bothroyd and Reggie Pearson will be significant contributors for the Oklahoma Sooners in 2023.

Oklahoma lost a few talented players in the portal, but mostly guys that were having a hard time breaking into the rotation under Venables. Here’s who departed in the portal and where they landed:

Oklahoma landed one of USA TODAY Sports best transfer classes

USA TODAY Sports Paul Myerburg identified Oklahoma’s transfer classes as one of the best in the country this offseason.

The Oklahoma Sooners made a concerted effort to add talent and experience on both sides of the football in the 2023 transfer portal. The Sooners lost a lot of talent to the NFL in [autotag]Anton Harrison[/autotag], [autotag]Wanya Morris[/autotag], [autotag]Chris Murray[/autotag], [autotag]Eric Gray[/autotag], [autotag]Marvin Mims[/autotag], and [autotag]DaShaun White[/autotag]. [autotag]David Ugwoegbu[/autotag] is headed to Houston, so the Sooners have a lot of vacated snaps to fill.

According to USA TODAY’s Paul Myerburg, the Oklahoma Sooners brought in one of the best transfer portal classes in the country this cycle. [autotag]Dasasn McCullough[/autotag] was named as the Sooners’ best transfer addition.

This is another solid transfer class for [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag], this time joining one of the top-ranked traditional recruiting classes in the FBS. Stanford transfer [autotag]Walter Rouse[/autotag] pencils into one of the open spots at left or right tackle after spending four season as the Cardinal’s starter on the blind side. After one season at South Carolina, tight end [autotag]Austin Stogner[/autotag] has rejoined the program and figures to be the Sooners’ top option at the position. Former Michigan wide receiver [autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag] had moments of brilliance with the Wolverines and will have the chance to play a major role as OU tries to replace roughly two-thirds of last year’s receiving yardage. Lastly, (Dasan) McCullough was one of the top freshmen defenders in the Power Five in 2022. – Myerburg, USA TODAY Sports

The Sooners added several impact players on both sides of the ball. Including McCullough, the Sooners landed several defensive front players that can effect opposing passing games and help solidify their run defense. McCullough is rumored to be slotted in at Cheetah for the Sooners, but Oklahoma will utilize his pass rush ability in their blitz packages.

[autotag]Rondell Bothroyd[/autotag] comes to Oklahoma with 13 sacks and 24.5 tackles for loss over the last two seasons at Wake Forest. [autotag]Trace Ford[/autotag] had a productive first two years in Stillwater before being limited by injuries. Oklahoma also added [autotag]Jacob Lacey[/autotag] and [autotag]Davon Sears[/autotag] to help bolster the interior. Lacey comes from Notre Dame, and Sears was being pursued by Tennessee and Penn State before choosing Oklahoma.

Safety [autotag]Reggie Pearson[/autotag] rounds out the defensive additions for the Sooners. He brings a lot of experience and big-hitting ability that can add some extra physicality to the Sooners’ defense.

On offense, Oklahoma made important additions along the offensive line with Rouse and guard [autotag]Caleb Shaffer[/autotag]. Both players could slide into the starting lineup and bring a ton of experience to the offensive line room. Both were four-year starters at their previous stops and join an experienced group that brings back [autotag]Andrew Raym[/autotag] and [autotag]McKade Mettauer[/autotag] along the offensive front as well. [autotag]Tyler Guyton[/autotag] projects to start at right tackle after playing the swing tackle role for Oklahoma in 2022.

[autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag] adds another talented wide receiver to their wide receiver competition opposite [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag]. Anthony has some deep-threat ability that will give him the opportunity to be an option to replace Marvin Mims.

Then there’s [autotag]Austin Stogner[/autotag]. The returning Oklahoma Sooners tight end will have an opportunity for a [autotag]Brayden Willis[/autotag]-type breakout season in 2023. Though the Sooners are a little deeper now that [autotag]Jason Llewellyn[/autotag] and [autotag]Kaden Helms[/autotag] are in their second years in Norman, Stogner will get a vast majority of the opportunities this season.

Time will tell just how impactful this transfer portal class will be, but on paper, the Sooners landed a strong group of players that will be key to the Sooners 2023 season.

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College coaches name Oklahoma Sooners a winner in the transfer portal

College coaches pick the Oklahoma Sooners as one of the winners of the transfer portal per ESPN.

The Sooners had to do something this offseason to improve the talent on both sides of the ball. [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and his staff did just that through the first stage of the [autotag]2022-2023 transfer portal[/autotag].

They’ve added impact players like [autotag]Dasan McCullough[/autotag], [autotag]Rondell Bothroyd[/autotag], [autotag]Reggie Pearson[/autotag], [autotag]Trace Ford[/autotag], [autotag]Jacob Lacey[/autotag], and [autotag]Davon Sears[/autotag] to a defense that needed an infusion of talent. In particular, they needed to add more pass rushers to give them more consistency.

Oklahoma’s also done a good job on the offensive side of the ball. To help mitigate the loss of [autotag]Anton Harrison[/autotag], [autotag]Wanya Morris[/autotag], and [autotag]Chris Murray[/autotag] along the offensive line, Oklahoma brought in [autotag]Walter Rouse[/autotag] and [autotag]Caleb Shaffer[/autotag] to add to a line that will feature [autotag]Andrew Raym[/autotag], [autotag]McKade Mettauer[/autotag], and [autotag]Tyler Guyton[/autotag] in 2023. The Sooners also added [autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag] from Michigan and brought back [autotag]Austin Stogner[/autotag] to be the presumptive starter at tight end.

The work Venables and his staff have done to improve the talent has garnered the attention of college coaches around the sport who named the Sooners as one of the winners of the transfer portal, according to ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg (ESPN+).

“They struggled so badly last year,” a Big 12 assistant said. “The portal, if you do it the right way, it can change things. They’ve taken a good hold in the portal.”

Coaches expect edge rusher Dasan McCullough, a transfer from Indiana, to immediately impact the unit. Oklahoma emphasized its defensive line in the portal, adding Oklahoma State end Trace Ford, Wake Forest end Rondell Bothroyd and Notre Dame tackle Jacob Lacey. Former Sooners tight end Austin Stogner will return after a season at South Carolina, where he had 20 receptions. Wide receiver is an area Oklahoma likely will continue to pursue in the portal when it reopens. – Adam Rittenberg

The Sooners currently sit eighth in the nation in the 247Sports transfer portal rankings after the first period of the portal.

This coaching staff has done a really nice job at attacking weaknesses in the portal to give themselves an opportunity to improve upon their 6-7 season from 2022. It won’t be an easy task, but in a wide-open Big 12, the Sooners will be a Big 12 contender late in the season.

If there’s one thing this coaching staff has shown they can do, it’s recruit. Whether it’s in the 2023 recruiting class or the transfer portal, Brent Venables and his staff have done a fantastic job in the talent acquisition department.

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ESPN gives props to Oklahoma’s transfer portal additions

Oklahoma’s transfer portal haul has earned praise from pundits over at ESPN.

Oklahoma entered the offseason needing to better its roster. Yes, the 2023 class would include an infusion of talent. However, it’s not reasonable to expect those true freshmen to provide an immediate impact.

How would Oklahoma improve its defense? How would they replace the offensive starters they lost to the draft?

The transfer portal was the answer. And while Oklahoma missed on a few guys, overall, their haul via the portal was excellent. Pundits at ESPN seem to believe the same thing (ESPN+).

ESPN’s Tom Luginbill hailed the addition of Dasan McCullough as one of the best fits in this transfer portal cycle.

The Sooners are in dire need of upgrades on the defensive side, and McCullough is this cycle’s best pass-rusher. He had an excellent freshman campaign, registering 6.5 tackles for loss and four sacks. The former top-50 recruit in the 2022 class brings speed, effort and a disruptive force to Oklahoma. – Luginbill, ESPN

Oklahoma’s best EDGE rushing addition, Dasan McCullough, figures to be a major player next year for Oklahoma. Oklahoma was abysmal in generating pressure off the edge. Now with McCullough there, the Sooners become a bit more dangerous and dynamic. There’s a chance they plug him in as the Cheetah, utilizing his versatility and athleticism.

Oklahoma not only found answers for their departures, but they improved the overall talent as well. It’s precisely why ESPN believes Oklahoma was one of the schools that addressed its needs the best via this portal cycle in particular.

It’s tough to imagine a Brent Venables-led team would struggle on defense, but the Sooners gave up 461 yards per game, which ranked 122 out of 131 FBS teams and surrendered 5.75 yards per play (82nd). Needing to add playmakers, Venables landed versatile and disruptive Indiana freshman linebacker Dasan McCullough. He also added Texas Tech safety Reggie Pearson Jr., Notre Dame defensive lineman Jacob Lacey, Wake Forest defensive lineman Rondell Bothroyd, Oklahoma State defensive lineman Trace Ford and Texas State defensive lineman Davon Sears. Those transfers are paired with a top-five recruiting class as well. – Tom VanHaaren, ESPN

With a mix of upperclassmen leadership, upside, and production being infused with what the Sooners return, Oklahoma got better as a defense on paper this offseason.

The next step is putting it together this offseason and letting it showcase itself on the field in the fall.

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Sooners offensive lineman Brey Walker enters the portal as a grad transfer

Former five-star offensive tackle Brey Walker to enter the transfer portal as a graduate transfer.

What was expected has now become official as Brey Walker enters the transfer portal.

A fifth-year senior for the Sooners, Walker played in just three games in 2022. After graduating in December, Walker will explore the portal for his final year of eligibility.

“I just want to say that Oklahoma has always been my ideal school since I was a young child,” Walker shared via Twitter back in December. “Additionally, I want to thank Bob Stoops for giving me a scholarship because he recognized that Oklahoma was where I was raised. Some of the best year of my life have been these last five years.

“I want to express my gratitude to all the coaches, players, and supporters who have shaped me into the athlete and person I am today. That OUDNA will always be with me. Having said that, I’ll be registering on the transfer portal as a graduate transfer for my last year of eligibility next week. Boomer Sooner.”

Brey Walker was the highest-rated recruit in the state of Oklahoma and the No. 2 offensive tackle in the nation, according to 247Sports. The former five-star prospect had a hard time finding consistent playing time with the Sooners.

Over his five-year tenure, Walker played just 311 snaps at the University of Oklahoma. The Westmoore product enters the transfer portal looking for a chance to make an impact in his final season of eligibility. Sometimes a player simply needs a fresh start. Hopefully Brey Walker can find a spot where he can get some playing time to showcase his skills.

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Oklahoma offensive lineman Marcus Alexander enters the transfer portal as a grad transfer

Offensive lineman Marcus Alexander hits the transfer portal as a grad transfer.

Oklahoma Sooners offensive lineman Marcus Alexander announced via social media yesterday that he will enter the portal as a graduate transfer.

A member of the 2019 recruiting class, Alexander is a former three-star prospect with two years of legibility remaining.

“I want to thank you for all of the support over the past four years,” Alexander shared in a statement on social media. “Wearing the Crimson and Cream has truly been a dream. To my coaches, teammates, and OU Athletics staff, thank you for your guidance and support during my time here at Oklahoma. The connections and friendships I have made here will last a lifetime. With all things considered, I have decided to enter the transfer portal as a graduate transfer with two years of eligibility left.”

According to Pro Football Focus, Alexander played in just one game in his four years with the Sooners, getting 19 snaps at left guard in week two of the 2020 season against Missouri State.

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Oklahoma Sooners land Stanford offensive tackle transfer Walter Rouse

Oklahoma beefs up its offensive line with Stanford transfer offensive tackle Walter Rouse.

Oklahoma has been hot in the transfer portal. That didn’t stop Saturday afternoon when transfer offensive tackle Walter Rose, a former member of the Stanford Cardinal, committed to the Sooners.

Rouse, a seasoned collegiate tackle, has one year of eligibility remaining and fits a need for Oklahoma’s offensive line in the wake it losing both tackles to the NFL draft. Tyler Guyton looks set to replace Wanya Morris at right tackle. The left tackle spot vacated by Anton Harrison could be a battle between the incoming Rouse, Jacob Sexton, Savion Byrd or Aaryn Parks.

 

Rouse was committed to Nebraska and looked set to enroll at mid-year, but Bill Bedenbaugh flipped the offensive tackle to the Sooners. Rouse started 39 games with over 2,552 snaps at left tackle in David Shaw’s run-heavy offense. Rouse also tied for 12th in fewest pressures allowed in the Pac-12 last season and allowed five sacks. He was penalized once in 2022.

Rouse’s commitment gives the Sooners their 11th portal commitment of the offseason. With Rouse and Caleb Shaffer on the way, the Sooners have stabilized the two spots along the offensive line that desperately needed a veteran presence.

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Pair of Sooners transfer additions considered perfect fits for Oklahoma

The Sooners have been active in the portal, but these two transfer additions could be “perfect fits” for Oklahoma.

The Oklahoma Sooners haven’t been shy about adding talent to their depth chart via the transfer portal over the last two offseasons. They’ve been active on both sides of the ball.

Two of their more recent additions were dubbed perfect fits for the Sooners by Hawkeyes Insider at 247Sports writer Brandon Sonnone. Among his list of perfect fits were defensive lineman Rondell Bothroyd and wide receiver Andrel Anthony.

This is a projection of upside, but Andrel Anthony to Oklahoma makes a lot of sense. If players were stocks, buy low on Anthony after he amassed only 19 catches for 328 yards and four scores in 22 career games.

Anthony has the smooth aspect to his game, and that should be utilized well in Jeff Lebby’s super spread system. The idea of getting Anthony in space or isolated in 1 vs. 1s on deep shots is super intriguing. – Sonnone, Hawkeyes Insider

Anthony provides a big-play threat for the Oklahoma Sooners. As a true freshman in 2021, Anthony averaged 20.7 yards per reception for the Michigan Wolverines. That number dropped considerably in 2022, but depending on his usage, the Sooners could have a new big-play threat to replace Marvin Mims on the outside.

One of the things the Oklahoma Sooners have to figure out this offseason is their pass rush. The pass rush had a couple of really strong games in wins over Nebraska and Oklahoma State and in the first half of their loss to West Virginia. In an effort to find a more consistent pass rush, the Sooners added Bothroyd.

In terms of scheme fit, this might be one of the best matches that we’ve seen so far this pgortal cycle. Rondell Bothroyd is listed at 6-foot-4, 265 pounds, but he might be a little closer to 280. That size, combined with his strength made him a movable piece in Wake’s 4-man front this past season, and it could lead to him being an ideal defensive end in the 3-man Tite Front that Brent Venables has popularized.

Boyd brings pass-rush juice (14 sacks over two seasons) and is solid versus the run. He had some experience lining up over the tackle at Wake Forest, but figures to do that a ton at Oklahoma. His versatility will be a plus. – Sonnone, Hawkeyes Insider

In addition to Bothroyd, the Sooners added Trace Ford, Dasan McCullough, Jacob Lacey and Davon Sears to their defensive front. Bothroyd is easily the guy on the defensive front with the most production. If he can bring that to Oklahoma and the Sooners can get a guy like Ethan Downs to improve upon his strong finish to the 2022 season, Oklahoma mighty have the answers it is looking for rushing the passer.

For the Sooners to get back to the top of the Big 12 standings, they’ll need big-time contributions from their transfer portal additions. And if Anthony and Bothroyd are indeed perfect fits for the Sooners, they should have a big season in Norman.

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Oklahoma Sooners inside the USA TODAY Sports way too early top 25 for 2023

Oklahoma looks to be a bounce-back candidate for the 2023 season, making USA TODAY Sports way too early top 25 for next year.

Coming off of a 6-7 season in which the defense struggled for most of the Big 12 schedule, it’s a bit surprising that the Oklahoma Sooners find themselves inside the top 25 of these way too early 2023 power rankings.

Whether it was CBS Sports or 247Sports, it appears the Sooners will be a popular bounce-back candidate this offseason. To that end, Oklahoma was included in the top 25 of USA TODAY Sports’ way too early power rankings for 2023 by Paul Myerburg.

It has to get better. There’s plenty of talent on offense to team with established starting quarterback Dillon Gabriel. Based on his track record, it feels very safe to expect the defense to take a huge leap in Brent Venables’ second season. The Sooners will also be a deeper and more experienced team after almost completely redoing the roster last winter and making significant headway in the transfer portal this offseason. Don’t forget that five of OU’s seven losses came by a touchdown or less, so simply returning to the mean in these close games would bring OU back into the eight-or-nine win range. – Myerburg, USA TODAY Sports

Myerburg makes a great point, that if Oklahoma split the five games in which they lost by a touchdown or less, the Sooners would have been at least an eight-win team. Four of those five losses came by a field goal. Improved depth on defense could help the Sooners better withstand late surges by their opponents. P

Getting [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] back is a great start to rebounding after the Sooners’ first losing season since 1998. Having quarterback continuity amid some key losses on the offensive side of the ball will help calm the waters. But more important than that is the work Brent Venables and his staff have done to add immediate difference-makers to the defense in the [autotag]2022-2023 transfer portal[/autotag].

Guys like [autotag]Rondell Bothroyd[/autotag], [autotag]Jacob Lacey[/autotag], [autotag]Trace Ford[/autotag], [autotag]Reggie Pearson[/autotag], and [autotag]Dasan McCullough[/autotag] are ready-made players that will step in and either start or be a part of the two-deep on the Sooners’ initial depth chart when they break camp next fall. Bothroyd, Ford, and McCullough, in particular, bring pass rush productivity to Norman to help a defensive front that struggled with pass rush consistency in 2022. Add that group to Reggie Grimes, who started 2022 hot and Ethan Downs, who finished strong down the stretch, and the Sooners are building quite the arsenal at defensive end.

Improving the defense is the key to the Sooners returning to contention in the Big 12 in 2023. Moving the needle from 30 points per game to closer to 20 will make the biggest difference for the Sooners. It’s too early to tell how all the pieces will come together, but based on what they’ve done in the transfer portal thus far, the Oklahoma Sooners are trending in the right direction.

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Oklahoma Sooners add Michigan transfer wide receiver Andrel Anthony Jr.

Looking to fortify their wide receiver corp, the Oklahoma Sooners received a commitment from Michigan transfer WR Andrel Anthony.

After making splashes on the defensive side of the ball in the transfer portal, the Oklahoma Sooners added Michigan transfer wide receiver Andrel Anthony.

Anthony comes to the Sooners with two years of eligibility and will join the wide receiver competition to replace [autotag]Marvin Mims[/autotag] on the outside.

The former Michigan wide receiver played more than 500 snaps for the Wolverines over two seasons and recorded 19 receptions for 328 yards and four touchdowns. He averaged 17.3 yards per reception, 6.4 yards after the catch per reception, a 17.9 depth of target and a 44.4% contested catch win rate.

The former three-star player was the No. 69 wide receiver in the class of 2021. He had a strong freshman campaign that included three touchdowns but saw limited opportunities in Michigan’s passing game.

Coming to Norman, Anthony’s size will provide another target in the middle of the field for Dillon Gabriel. Twelve of Anthony’s 19 receptions went for first downs, and if he can bring that same level of first down efficiency to the Sooners, it would help them improve on third down as well.

Anthony was originally from East Lansing, and though Michigan State made a big push for him as a recruit, he ultimately spurned the Spartans for the Wolverines. Then, in his first game against MSU, he scored two touchdowns, including a 90-plus yard catch-and-run, elevating his prospects in short order. – Isaiah Hole, Wolverines Wire

Anthony joins [autotag]LV Bunkley-Shelton[/autotag], [autotag]J.J. Hester[/autotag], [autotag]Jayden Gibson[/autotag], and [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag] as wide receivers vying for snaps opposite [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag]. [autotag]Drake Stoops[/autotag] likely remains your slot wide receiver, leaving a spot on the outside for an intriguing group of players.

While the Sooners will have a hard time replacing Marvin Mims’ downfield ability, they have options for new wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator Emmett Jones to work with to see who will step up and take the reigns on the outside.

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