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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