Oklahoma experiencing receiver exodus

Oklahoma was keeping most of its talent out of the transfer portal. Until it wasn't.

As of Tuesday, the day after the transfer portal officially opened, the Sooners have had 18 players enter the portal, and four of them were valuable receivers.

Jalil Farooq was the most recent OU receiver to enter the transfer portal, according to Hayes Fawcett of On3 on Tuesday. J.J. Hester also announced his intentions to transfer on Tuesday. Jaquaize Pettaway and Nic Anderson were set to transfer before the portal even opened.

Farooq will have one year of eligibility left after four years in Norman. He should be able to get a medical redshirt for this season after appearing in only two games because of an injury.

Last season, Farooq broke out with 45 catches for 694 receiving yards and two TDs. He caught five TD passes in 2022.

Farooq was only one of OU's receivers that dealt with a season-long injury in 2024. The Sooners were without their five top receivers most of the season, also including Anderson.

OU did have some young guys get valuable experience this season, including freshmen Zion Kearney, Zion Ragins, Ivan Carreon and walk-on Jacob Jordan. So far, all of them are staying put in Norman.

The Sooners will also add Elijah Thomas and Emmanuel Choice from the 2025 signing class.

Any team would have struggled with depth at any position after than many injuries, but the Sooners are now extremely thin at receiver thanks to the transfer portal even without injuries.

Even with young talent that gained experience, Brent Venables & Co. will have to look to the transfer portal themselves to add more talent at receiver. OU especially needs some size at the position, with Jayden Gibson the only receiver currently left on the roster that's listed taller than 6-foot-1.