Running back Jaydn Ott already won an offseason Heisman Trophy, and now he's after a preseason NFL Rookie of the Year award.
Ott had insane preseason hype around Oklahoma last year after transferring from California as the No. 1 running back in the Transfer Portal, but he ultimately became the biggest bust of the portal era for the Sooners. Now, Ott is again raising expectations, but this time for his future in the NFL.
OU transfer bust Jaydn Ott impressing at Senior Bowl
After leading the Pac-12 in rushing in 2023 and dealing with an injury throughout 2024, Ott did basically nothing in his lone season as a Sooner in 2025. He carried the ball only 21 times for 68 rushing yards while averaging 3.2 an attempt. Known as an all-around threat, he caught just two passes for 10 yards and returned only two kicks for one yard.
Despite the disappointing senior campaign, Ott still got an invite to the Senior Bowl to improve his NFL Draft stock. The invite wasn't a shock, though, considering Ott ended up at OU because he first got on general manager Jim Nagy's radar when Nagy was still the executive director of the Senior Bowl.
To the surprise of OU fans who watched what little Ott played this past season, multiple reporters in Mobile, Alabama, this week have mentioned Ott as a standout during practices before Saturday's Senior Bowl. Most of what's impressed media was the same stuff that excited OU fans last year with Ott's explosiveness and versatility.
Oklahoma’s Jaydn Ott is another early RB standout for me. He looks healthy and is running with burst and quickness. Looks comfortable as a pass catcher, too. pic.twitter.com/IJ68Vu3WFo
— Brandyn Pokrass (@BPok24) January 28, 2026
Jaydn Ott RB Oklahoma with a solid run. He’s made a few strong plays in both run and pass. #SeniorBowl @AtoZSportsNFL pic.twitter.com/0ItzwnbNzO
— Travis May (@FF_TravisM) January 27, 2026
Oklahoma RB Jaydn Ott with an absolute killer block at the end of Day 2 American practice at the Senior Bowl pic.twitter.com/anxRyI6cLz
— Faraz Siddiqi (@farazsiddiqi) January 29, 2026
Jaydn Ott was a pleasant surprise on Day 2, primarily in pass pro. Not a big back, but showed good effort and tenacity pic.twitter.com/jJyJtf2NVN
— Jack Brentnall (@Jack_Brentnall) January 29, 2026
If Ott does end up making a name for himself in the NFL, the Sooners can't really claim him, even if his bio will state he's from OU as his final stop. Ott's NFL future could reveal if his stellar 2023 season at Cal was a fluke, or if his lackluster showing as a Sooner was actually the anomaly and OU's coaching staff just failed to take advantage of the talent they had.