Oklahoma football: Sooners add transfer RB Samuel Franklin

Oklahoma football lost one additional player to the transfer portal this past week, but the Sooners gained two others.

Former University of Tennessee-Martin running back Samuel Franklin committed to Oklahoma on Wednesday. The day before, Purdue wide receiver Deion Burks committed to the Sooners.

The redshirt sophomore played three seasons for UT-Martin. He gained 2,129 yards rushing and 20 touchdowns for the Skyhawks over three seasons and averaged 6.8 yards per carry. This season, Franklin finished with a career-high 1,386 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns.

Franklin chose Oklahoma over offers from USC, South Carolina, Arkansas, Texas Tech and Indiana. He is a finalist for the 2023 Walter Payton Award, which is presented annually to the most outstanding offensive player in Division I FCS college football.

A native of Little Rock, Arkansas, Franklin joins a 2024 running back group that will include redshirt-sophomore Gavin Sawchuk, who was the Sooners leading running back at the end of the 2023 season, junior Jovanate Barnes and incoming freshmen Taylor Tatum, the No. 1 running back recruit in the 2024 class, and Xavier Robinson.

The Sooners have lost three running backs to the transfer portal: Veteran RB Marcus Major, Daylan Smothers and Tawee Walker have all entered or plan to enter the portal. Although Walker is still practicing with the team as it prepares for its Alamo Bowl game against Arizona State.

Franklin is the fourth player to commit to OU from the the transfer portal. He joins All-Big Ten second-team selection Burks, Michigan State offensive lineman Spencer Brown and San Diego State defensive back Dezjhon Malone. The Sooners currently have a transfer net loss of 12. Sixteen Oklahoma players have entered the portal since the regular-season ended.