Like the Oklahoma Sooners already did, Oklahoma State transfer tight end Josh Ford is also looking to leave the Cowboys behind for SEC competition.
Ford announced via social media on Thursday that he's narrowed his next possible destination down to five options, including four SEC programs with Oklahoma, Alabama, Arkansas Auburn and Illinois. He will have three years of eligibility left.
Josh Ford includes Sooners in final options
The Transfer Portal does not open until Jan. 2, but there is already a lengthy list of players expected to officially enter then, with most of them coming from programs that fired their head coach midseason like OSU did with Mike Gundy. Ford played just one more game after Gundy was fired before deciding to redshirt and eventually transfer.
In four games this season before the decision, Ford caught three passes for 45 yards and scored a TD in his last appearance against Baylor on Sept. 27. In 2024, Ford was one of just two freshmen to crack the starting lineup for the Cowboys. He finished his freshman campaign with 10 receptions for 92 yards and a TD while playing in every game and starting six times.
Ford was a fan-favorite of Cowboy fans after staying home as a Stillwater native and making an immediate impact. OSU was his only reported offer as a three-star recruit in the 2024 class.
Listed at a towering 6-foot-6, Ford clearly has SEC size, which is a reason he's drawn so much interest from the conference, including the Sooners. On3 ranks Ford as the fourth-best tight end in the Transfer Portal as of Thursday. On3 also predicts Ford to choose either OU or Auburn. According to 247Sports, Ford is the No. 2 TE.
Ford already visited Oklahoma during the season when the Sooners hosted Ole Miss on Oct. 25. The Sooners have won four in a row since losing that day to solidify themselves as College Football Playoff contenders, while Ford has yet to win a conference game yet in his college career.