The Oklahoma Sooners added 15 players from the transfer portal during this winter cycle to hopefully turn things around after a 6-7 season in the program's first year in the SEC.
Of the 15 newcomers, 11 are on the offensive side of the ball, including a pair of quarterbacks, three tight ends and four wide receivers. Only two were defenders, plus two specialists.
With the transfer class likely finished and now in Norman, here's your report card on the additions based on needs, expected impact and how the recruits are rated.
Quarterbacks: A
The Sooners went above and beyond in securing their needs at quarterback.
After a QB carousel this past season between Jackson Arnold and Michael Hawkins Jr., plus Arnold leaving for Auburn, OU was desperate for stability and experience at the position for 2025.
The Sooners got everything they needed at QB after landing John Mateer, who was the No. 1 player available in the transfer portal.
Mateer has high expectations after following his offensive coordinator from Washington State to Norman. He led all of FBS in total TDs in 2024 and will now have more talent around him while still in a familiar system under Ben Arbuckle. The only knock against Mateer was a lackluster schedule that doesn't compare to an SEC slate.
Even beyond Mateer, OU also added Cole Gonzales from Western Carolina. Gonzales was an underrated addition in this portal class. He could have went to a Group of 5 program and probably started, but instead he'll provide needed depth at OU. He also opens up the opportunity to back up Mateer in 2025 to let Hawkins redshirt and develop.
Wide receivers: C
It's nearly impossible to predict how players will thrive or tank in new environments, especially for four new wide receivers joining a new program with an entirely new offensive system and quarterback. There's a lot of unknown there.
The Sooners added Javonnie Gibson (Arkansas Pine-Bluff), Keontez Lewis (Southern Illinois), Isaiah Satenga (Arkansas) and Josiah Martin (California) to a depleted receiver room. One, or even all, of these players could surpass expectations, but none were big-time, exciting recruits, especially after OU landed Deion Burks last year.
OU had a big hole to fill after losing six receivers to the transfer portal, including a major talent like Nic Anderson. These four additions just don't seem to have leveled the ground from what the Sooners lost at receiver, though.
Brent Venables & Co. got the best young offensive mind in college football and the best QB available, yet no one for either to work with out wide, where the Sooners were already horrendous last season thanks to multiple injuries. This group needed at least one splash addition that restored promise at this position.
This is certainly not a bad set of receivers, but for now, grading this group at average seems right until proven otherwise.
Offensive line: B+
Offensive line might be the only position where the Sooners needed more help than receiver, but Bill Bedenbaugh did a much better job luring in what OU needed here.
The Sooners have talent already on the offensive line, most of it's just young, especially taking in account the 2024 signing class with Michael Fasusi.
With talent evident, OU still needed experience up front. Luke Baklenko (Stanford) and Derek Simmons (Western Carolina) certainly bring that to Norman.
Baklenko has over 1,000 snaps worth of experience at right tackle at the Power 4 level. Simmons came from the FCS, but he was still highly sought after and has three seasons as a starter under his belt.
Obviously you always want more to get an A here, but the Sooners still got what they needed with these additions, whether they start or just provide depth at a position that is sure to deal with injuries in a physical SEC.
Tight end: D
I'll never give an F on such an unknown subject like transfer portal additions and how they'll impact their new program, but a D is fitting for the disappointment here.
Joe Jon Finley brought in three tight ends -- Carson Kent (Kennesaw State), Will Huggins (Pittsburg State) and John Locke (Louisiana Tech). None came from Power 4 programs (or even good Group of 5 teams) and none even stood out where they came from.
Kent started two seasons for the worst offense in FBS last season. Huggins came from the Division-II level, where caught 22 passes for 395 yards and a TD this past season. Locke reportedly joined the program as a walk-on but totalled three catches in two seasons.
The argument could be made these three were brought in to help block, especially Locke, but there is no argument that these are still underwhelming recruits for a Blue Blood program trying to revamp its offense.
Defense: A
For whoever will be leading OU's defense next season, Venables got them more quality than quantity.
The Sooners had only two defensive additions in Kendal Daniels, who played both safety and linebacker at Oklahoma State, and Florida State edge rusher Marvin Jones Jr., son of the former All-American linebacker.
Both will at least immediately compete for starting jobs on what was a top-25 defense in 2024. Daniels' versatility can help OU in the secondary, at linebacker, or he's almost ideal to play cheetah.
Jones also gives the Sooners more help rushing the quarterback at a position OU is pretty deep at now with R Mason Thomas returning.
Less was also more here with the Sooners losing little to the transfer portal from the defensive side of the ball. It's also worth noting that both players committed after defensive coordinator Zac Alley left the Sooners.