Danny Saili's late addition slams the door on an Oklahoma 5-in-5 homecoming

Fall camp is underway already for the Oklahoma Sooners, but they just now finalized their roster with one last surprise addition.

SoonerScoop's George Stoia and On3's Pete Nakos reported Monday night that the Sooners added former Arkansas defensive tackle Danny Saili through the transfer portal thanks to the chaos from the recent federal judge ruling that gave another year of eligibility to athletes from the 2022 recruiting class. Saili is a solid last-minute depth piece, but OU fans had hoped the recent chaos would end with a former Sooner back on the roster that could immediately make a massive impact.

Things have actually now come full-circle for Saili. He started his college journey at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas. When he was looking to make the jump to Division I in 2023, he initially committed to OU and planned to be a Sooner for four months before flipping to Arkansas.

Saili barely played for the Razorbacks in 2024 but earned a larger role last season. He recorded 10 total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, two quarterback hurries and a pass deflection while appearing in 11 games.

Although minimal, Saili gives the Sooners a depth piece on the interior of the defensive line already with SEC experience, which was needed with such an inexperienced group behind David Stone and Jayden Jackson. He also has SEC size, listed at 6-foot-3 and 319 pounds. Fans should still temper expectations, though considering Saili's playing time with Arkansas and the fact he's joining the team just weeks before the season kicks off.

Read more: Predicting Oklahoma's 2026 depth chart heading into fall camp

Saili was able to make this move because a federal judge two weeks ago granted one more year of eligibility to athletes from the 2022 class in response to the NCAA's new age-based 5-in-5 eligibility rule that gives athletes five years to compete instead of four. Because Saili, in anticipation this might happen, had already entered the transfer portal back in January, he was able to transfer to use his final year. Athletes not already in the portal can only return to their former school (as of now).

A return of Damonic Williams or Marvin Jones Jr. to the Sooners seems to be no more

When news of the judge's ruling broke, OU fans immediately dreamed of recent graduates like defensive tackle Damonic Williams and defensive end Marvin Jones Jr. returning to Oklahoma despite signing with NFL teams as undrafted free agents and being in the midst of mini camp. That dream just got a reality check with Saili getting to Norman, though.

Saili fills the final roster spot the Sooneers still had open. Unless OU head coach Brent Venables cuts a player just weeks before the season starts on Sept. 4, this latest move basically shuts the door for a Williams or Jones homecoming, or any other last-minute additions.

Still, though, OU general manager Jim Nagy took advantage of the recent chaos and the Sooners having one open roster spot to benefit the program, even if in just a small way.

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