Oklahoma football: Five players OU must retain for 2023 season

College football’s silly season — otherwise known as the transfer portal — opens today (Dec. 5), and at least a dozen Oklahoma football players have indicated their intent to transfer.

The vast majority of the Sooners who have announced they are entering the transfer portal are depth players who have seen very little of the field as an Oklahoma Sooners. Two notables from the transfer list, however, are wide receiver Theo Wease and quarterback Nick Evers.

There will be two transfer portal windows during which time players can enter the portal and not lose a year of eligibility. The first of those windows opens today and runs for 45 days (until Jan. 18). The second window will be May 1-15.

Right now, the number of Oklahoma players leaving through the portal appears worse than it really is because we are only learning about the players that are leaving. Brent Venables has already demonstrated his willingness to utilize the transfer portal in recruiting, and you know he and his staff will be sizing up what the portal has to offer relative to the Sooners’ needs at certain positions and position groups.

Oklahoma already has one incoming player through the transfer portal — Notre Dame defensive lineman Jacob Lacey has announced he is transferring to OU — and there surely are going to be others.

Also this month, the Sooner coaching staff is busy trying to add to and solidify the 2023 recruiting commitments ahead of National Signing Day on Dec. 21.

The transfer portal isn’t the only avenue, though, for players who are departing the program. Oklahoma always has players leaving because their eligibility has ended (TE Brayden Willis, LB DaShaun White are prime examples of that, with 2022 having been his super senior season).

There are also players who still have eligibility but elect to forgo that option in favor of declaring for the NFL Draft. Examples from the OU roster of that are RB Eric Gray and OL Anton Harrison.

With all this activity — players coming and going — who are five players the Sooners must retain for next season. As a caveat, although WR Marvin Mims and LB David Ugwoegbu have not yet declared their intentions for next season and both would be among the five we list as “must retain” for 2023, we are assuming that both will declare for the NFL Draft.

QB Dillon Gabriel

The Sooners will have five-star QB prospect Jackson Arnold on the roster next season, but highly recruited 2022 OU signee Nick Evers has announced for the transfer portal. This is why it is important to get another season from Gabriel, while allowing Arnold to groom under him. Gabriel led the Big 12 this season in passing yards per game (265.5) and was second in touchdown passes (24). Arnold is considered the OU quarterback of the future, but the starting job unquestionably will be Gabriel’s.

RB Jovantae Barnes

With Eric Gray leaving for the NFL, Jovantae Barnes will move up to the lead running back role next season and, other than senior-to-be Marcus Major will be the only Sooner running back with any significant game experience. The Sooners have a pair of highly touted running-back prospects in their 2023 recruiting class, but the depth of experience is lacking at the position heading into the 2023 season. Barnes rushed for 411 yards this season as a true freshman, an average of 4.6 yards per carry, and four touchdowns.

WR Jahlil Farooq

Brayden Willis, Theo Wease are gone from the 2022 receiving corps and Marvin Mims is likely gone. That leaves the Sooners seriously depleted at the receiver position. Jahlil Farooq was a key contributor both as a receiver and returning kicks this season. His role will become even more important next season as the Sooners’ most experienced returning receiver. Farooq caught 32 passes for 402 yards in 2022 and averaged 12.6 yards per catch along with four touchdowns. Look for second-year players Nic Anderson and Jayden Gibson, both 6-feet, 4 inches and former four-star recruits, to help replenish the Oklahoma receiving depth next season.

DB C.J. Coldon

This past season was C.J. Coldon’s first at Oklahoma after transferring from Nevada. Once he became comfortable and more acclimated in the OU defensive system he got better as the season went along and was playing his best football at the end of the season. Coldon led OU with four pass interceptions along with 42 tackles, two tackles for loss and five pass breakups.

LB Danny Stutsman

Junior-to-be Danny Stutsman is an absolute stud at the linebacker position, and in 2023 he will likely be the lone returning starter. The 6-foot, 4-inch, 220-pound linebacker led the Sooners in the 2022 regular season with 119 tackles, 17 more than the next player. He was credited with two sacks, 9.5 tackles for loss, a pair of interceptions and four pass breakups. He could well be the captain of the OU defense next season.