5 transfers Oklahoma never should have let walk away

With the likes of Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray, the Oklahoma Sooners have hit the jackpot with transfers since before the portal even existed, but that's a two-way road. The transfer portal has also taken from the Sooners some talent they never should have let out of Norman.

It's worth noting before getting into this list, though, that Caleb Williams was omitted on purpose. He followed Lincoln Riley to USC, so there was no real way to fight and keep him around.

Who are the best transfers to leave the Sooners?

We didn’t really know what we had with Dillon Gabriel since he came right after an unprecedented run of quarterbacks who are all currently in the NFL, as is Gabriel. 

Transferring from UCF, Gabriel took over as QB1 for Brent Venables’ first year as head coach in 2022. He was solid, but was even better in 2023 while passing for 3,660 yards and 30 TDs as the last OU quarterback to take down Texas thanks to an incredible game-winning drive in the Red River Rivalry. 

But then the Sooners couldn’t wait for a future with five-star Jackson Arnold behind center and let Gabriel walk to Oregon in 2024. Every OU fan knows how that nightmare season went, especially in the passing game. Gabriel, though, was a Heisman Trophy finalist and led the Ducks to a Big Ten title and the College Football Playoff. 

The Sooners got a taste of Cayden Green on the offensive line when he appeared in 12 games and started five as a freshman before transferring to Missouri. The next season was a revolving door along the offensive line for Oklahoma as Green was a staple at left guard for the Tigers. He then switched to left tackle ahead of 2025, and although the Sooners’ O-line was much improved with young talent, Green would have taken it to the next level as a First-Team All-SEC selection. 

Imagine Green being the leader of the group at left tackle with five-star freshman Michael Fasusi on the other side learning from him. Next to Fasusi at guard was Second-Team All-SEC honoree Febechi Nwaiwu and Jake Maikkula at center. The Sooners then could have put freshman Ryan Fodje at left guard like they wanted, next to Green. It would have been the perfect mix of experienced veterans and young talent that could have even fixed the Sooners’ running game woes. 

OU fans will be reminded again this year of what they had with Hollywood Smothers during the Red River Rivalry since he’s now a Longhorn. He initially transferred to NC State after redshirting in 2023 and getting 11 carries total during his brief time with the Sooners that was spent buried behind Marcus Major, Jovantae Barnes and Gavin Sawchuk. All guys who also eventually transferred. 

Smothers eventually emerged as NC State’s RB1 in 2024, then really took over last season as a First-Team All-ACC selection after rushing for 939 yards and averaging 5.9 a carry. The Sooners are pretty set at running back, but it's still

After transferring from Texas, Brenen Thompson had 26 catches for 471 yards and four TDs total between two seasons with the Sooners. He then followed Jeff Lebby to Mississippi State in 2025 and immediately posted 1,054 receiving yards while averaging 18.5 yards a catch and reaching the end zone six times. He also added a rushing TD. 

After doing nearly nothing in Oklahoma, Thompson transformed overnight into a Second-Team All-SEC selection and fourth-round draft pick. It’s clear he made the right decision escaping, but the Sooners completely wasted two seasons of Thompson’s speed and big-play ability. His breakout campaign paired with Isaiah Sategna III out wide and John Mateer at quarterback could have been the spark the offense needed last year. 

Theo Wease Jr. was a five-star recruit, but the Sooners only scratched the surface of his talent in Norman. And when he did tap that potential is when it would have been needed most in Oklahoma. 

He immediately saw the field but had a quiet freshman campaign before breaking out in 2020 with 530 receiving yards and four TDs. His next year was squandered by an injury before he had a drop in production in 2022, then headed to Missouri, where he really showed out. 

Wease posted 682 receiving yards and six touchdowns before really breaking out in 2024 with 60 catches for 884 yards and four TDs. Meanwhile, as Wease had a career season, the Sooners couldn’t keep a receiver healthy with their top 5 wideouts missing significant time and J.J. Hester being their best receiver with 315 yards. 

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