Sooners begin tight end rebuild with veteran SEC transfer commitment

The Oklahoma Sooners' complete rebuild of their tight end room has officially begun, even before they have a coach to lead the position.

Florida transfer tight end Hayden Hansen on Sunday announced that he committed to the Sooners out of the Transfer Portal after visiting Norman over the weekend. He will have one year of eligibility remaining as a grad transfer.

Florida TE Hayden Hansen commits to Oklahoma

Hansen will get to Oklahoma already with 37 career games worth of experience in the SEC, including 34 starts and 25 in a row the last two seasons to prove his durability, which the Sooners are desperate for at every position. He first saw playing time as a redshirt freshman in 2023 with nine starts before fully taking over the spot the next year.

This season, Hansen had all career-highs of 30 receptions, 254 receiving yards and two touchdowns. That doubled his 15-catch total from 2024. Hansen's massive frame at nearly 6-foot-8 and 269 pounds will mostly be an asset blocking, especially as a run blocker, but he will also be a giant target in the end zone for (likely) quarterback John Mateer. Hansen's number of receptions and receiving yards were third on the team this season, so he can clearly do it all when needed.

Hansen got to Florida in 2022 as a three-star recruit from Weatherford High School in Texas. OU did not offer him out of high school. Now as a transfer, 247Sports had Hansen as a three-star prospect again. Saturday Blitz ranked Hansen as the No. 11 tight end available in the Transfer Portal this cycle.

Hansen became the Sooners' first portal commitment of this cycle so far, and it came just three days after tight ends coach Joe Jon Finley was fired. OU hasn't replaced Finley yet, but the Sooners still need even more talent from the portal at the position beyond Hansen while in the midst of a rebuild at tight end.