Oklahoma Crushes the Spring Transfer Window: ESPN Expert Lauds Sooners’ Portal Power Moves

By Mary John April 24, 2025

The Oklahoma Sooners aren’t just preparing for their long-anticipated entrance into the Southeastern Conference — they’re actively reshaping the roster to thrive in it.

After a solid 2024 campaign that ended with a respectable bowl appearance and flashes of greatness under head coach Brent Venables, the Sooners have used the 2025 spring transfer window as a high-stakes accelerator. And ESPN’s top college football voices are taking notice.

“I think what Oklahoma has done this spring is one of the sharpest, most intentional portal strategies I’ve seen,” ESPN analyst Tom Luginbill said on College Football Live. “This is exactly how you close the gap with SEC heavyweights.”

Let’s dive into why Oklahoma is winning the transfer portal war — and how the Sooners are setting themselves up for a statement 2025 season.

As Oklahoma gears up for life in the SEC, where the talent pool is deeper and the hits are harder, the coaching staff knew this offseason had to be different. The mission was clear: upgrade explosiveness on offense, reinforce the defensive front, and add depth at critical positions.

Enter the transfer portal.

Venables and general manager Drew Hill attacked the portal with a blend of aggression and precision, not just filling holes, but upgrading units with proven performers.

“There’s no question Oklahoma is building an SEC-ready roster,” said ESPN’s David Pollack. “They knew exactly where they needed more juice, more production, and they went out and got it.”

The biggest fish? Former Cal running back Jaydn Ott. A Doak Walker Award semifinalist in 2024, Ott racked up 1,315 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns for a Golden Bears team that leaned heavily on his every touch.

“Ott’s one of those backs who can flip a game with one cut,” Luginbill said. “You need that kind of guy in the SEC where defenses are faster and more physical.”

His fit in Oklahoma’s offense, which returns most of its offensive line and veteran quarterback Jackson Arnold, could be seamless. Ott offers both home-run speed and third-down reliability — something the Sooners missed in stretches last season.

“He’s a game-changer,” Venables said in a spring press conference. “He’s mature, motivated, and brings a work ethic we want all our guys to emulate.”

Oklahoma also landed Purdue wideout Deion Burks, one of the portal’s fastest risers after a breakout 2024 campaign. Burks posted 851 yards and 9 touchdowns for the Boilermakers, consistently burning defenders with his elite top-end speed.

“Deion Burks might be the most underrated wide receiver addition in the country,” ESPN’s Matt Barrie said. “He gives them a true vertical threat to pair with Nick Anderson. That’s dangerous.”

Burks’ ability to stretch the field vertically complements Oklahoma’s existing receiver room, creating matchup nightmares for defensive backs who will now have to choose between pressing Burks or giving up cushion and risking death by a thousand slants.

“Teams won’t be able to stack the box anymore,” said former Sooner WR and ESPN contributor Dusty Dvoracek. “Ott and Burks open up so many options.”

While the offensive additions grabbed headlines, Oklahoma’s defensive transfers quietly may be more significant long term. The Sooners added multiple pieces to their defensive front, including:

• Tyler Baron, EDGE from Tennessee: A fifth-year senior with 13.5 career sacks and loads of SEC experience.

• Isaiah Hastings, DT from Alabama: A former top-100 recruit with high upside who needed a new opportunity.

• Demarcus Riddick, LB from Georgia: A former five-star who brings speed and toughness to the linebacker unit.

ESPN’s Cole Cubelic, a longtime SEC trench expert, praised Oklahoma’s moves: “What I love about what they did is they didn’t go after just raw talent — they went after guys who’ve played in the SEC and know what it takes.”

With these additions, Oklahoma now boasts a two-deep defensive line rotation capable of surviving the SEC’s brutal line-of-scrimmage battles.

“This is the first time since 2019 that I look at OU’s front seven and think they can win in the trenches against Alabama or LSU,” said Dvoracek.

A defining feature of Oklahoma’s approach? They didn’t chase stars. They chased fits.

Every transfer added this spring fills a specific need — and almost all of them have at least two years of eligibility, allowing for continuity and development.

“We’re building something sustainable,” Venables emphasized. “We don’t want quick fixes. We want competitors.”

Luginbill echoed that sentiment: “What separates Oklahoma is that they didn’t just try to ‘portal shop.’ They had a plan. They built with purpose. That’s what’s going to show up on Saturdays.”

Of course, all these additions also serve a critical secondary purpose: empowering quarterback Jackson Arnold.

Arnold showed promise in his first season as a starter but lacked explosive weapons outside of Nick Anderson. With Ott to take pressure off the run game and Burks to open up passing lanes, ESPN’s Greg McElroy believes Arnold could explode in 2025.

“This could be a Caleb Williams-type leap,” McElroy said. “He’s got the tools, and now he has the pieces around him.”

With more weapons and better protection, the Sooners could quickly evolve into one of the SEC’s most balanced offenses.

The Sooners enter the SEC with a chip on their shoulder. Pundits have been skeptical, many ranking Oklahoma behind Texas, Alabama, Georgia, and even LSU in preseason projections.

But if ESPN’s top experts are right, that’s a mistake.

“They’ve addressed everything they needed to in the spring portal,” said Luginbill. “This is a better team — a more complete team — than people realize.”

And for a program with a rich tradition, two Heisman winners in the last decade, and the backing of one of the most passionate fanbases in the sport, Oklahoma’s not just planning to survive the SEC.

They’re coming to win it.