The Oklahoma football program has already lost three defensive backs to the transfer portal during the spring window, which just opened on Wednesday, but this is not the same mass exodus the Sooners experienced at wide receiver during the winter.
Mykel Patterson-McDonald was the first OU defensive back to announce his intentions to leave last weekend, followed by Peter Schuh and Jocelyn Malaska on Wednesday. None, though, ever got real playing time at OU.
Sooners looking to add talent at defensive back
A looming new roster limit of 105 players is forcing college football programs around the country to trim their rosters before this summer. Most college football rosters previously hovered around 120, including walk-ons that are now extinct, so staffs are having to cut at least 15 players compared to last season's team.
That doesn't take in account additions, though. Every program, including the Sooners, also want to bolsters their rosters with new talent, particularly from the transfer portal. That leaves players like OU's three exiting defensive backs, who were probably never actually going to contribute, forced out to make room.
The Sooners need more help in the secondary, and none of Patterson-McDonald, Schuh or Malaska were unfortunately going to provide that, at least not in 2025. This means their departure likely means OU plans on making additions at defensive back, so someone had to go.
We already saw this at running back for the Sooners. Sam Franklin was already expected to leave as the presumed No. 5 running back on OU's depth chart, but within hours of reports that Franklin was in the transfer portal, the Sooners announced they signed Jaydn Ott, the No. 1 available running back.
No reports have surfaced yet on defensive backs the Sooners are closing in on, but after losing a trio already at the position, expect at least one addition soon that's capable of making an immediate impact.