Several players with ties to the Oklahoma Sooners included in ESPN’s ‘most impactful transfers of the last 5 years’
The transfer portal has been huge for the Oklahoma Sooners over the last decade. They’ve acquired two Heisman winners and a Heisman finalist at quarterback and the guy that will start for them in 2022, Dillon Gabriel solidified the Sooners quarterback position after Caleb Williams put his name into the portal.
The portal giveth and the portal taketh.
Given that it’s the college football equivalent to NFL free agency, it provides head coaches another avenue to roster building to fill needs on the depth chart or find legit starters.
Tom VanHaaren over at ESPN ranked the 40 most impactful transfers (ESPN+) of the last five years, and several names have a connection to Oklahoma. Though the list goes back to 2018, Kyler Murray transferred to the Sooners in 2017, so he didn’t quite make the list.
2. Jalen Hurts from Alabama
Nov 16, 2019; Waco, TX, USA; Oklahoma Sooners running back Rhamondre Stevenson (29) and quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) in action during the game between the Bears and the Sooners at McLane Stadium. Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
What ESPN said:
Hurts had an interesting college career, as he won the starting job in the second game of his freshman season at Alabama. He threw for 2,780 yards and 23 touchdowns that season, also adding 13 touchdowns on the ground. In his sophomore season, Hurts threw for 2,081 yards and 17 touchdowns but was benched in the national championship game for Tua Tagovailoa, who went on to win the title for the Crimson Tide. Tagovailoa was then the starter the following season, leading to Hurts’ transfer to Oklahoma. Under coach Lincoln Riley, Hurts threw for 3,851 yards and 32 touchdowns and ran for 1,298 yards and 20 touchdowns, finishing as the Heisman runner-up to Burrow. – VanHaaren, ESPN
Jalen Hurts’ 2019 season is arguably one of the most prolific quarterback seasons to not with the Heisman trophy in the last two decades. 52 total touchdowns and more than 5,000 combined passing and rushing yards. And who will ever forget the incredible comeback against Baylor? He might not have started his career with the Sooners, but he hit the ground running and led Oklahoma to the College Football Playoff. Unfortunately, they ran into Joe Burrow (No. 1 on ESPN’s list) and an LSU team that put up historic numbers on their way to an undefeated season and a national title.
4. Caleb Williams to USC
Apr 23, 2022; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams (13) throws the ball during the spring game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
What ESPN said:
Williams just transferred this offseason when Riley left Oklahoma to take the head-coaching job at USC. Williams had 1,912 passing yards, 21 touchdowns and four interceptions last season, along with 442 rush yards and six touchdowns in 11 games. He was only a freshman when he replaced then-starter Spencer Rattler at quarterback and now has an opportunity to turn the Trojans’ offense around under Riley. Williams has also helped attract other players, including receivers Jordan Addison and Mario Williams. – VanHaaren
Caleb Williams was really good in his one season in Norman. The comeback win in the Red River Showdown was incredible. For better or worse, he’ll be just as remembered for the poor performances against Baylor, Iowa State, Oklahoma State, and following Lincoln Riley to USC.
10. Spencer Rattler to South Carolina
South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler, right, throws next to former NFL quarterbacks Eli and Peyton Manning at the Manning Passing Academy on the Nicholls State University campus in Thibodaux, La. Friday, June 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)
What ESPN said:
Rattler was the No. 29 prospect in the 2019 class out of Arizona and signed with Riley and Oklahoma. He sat for most of his first season on campus but broke out in 2020 when he threw for 3,031 yards, 28 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also ran for 160 yards and six touchdowns that season. Rattler had Heisman hype heading into the 2021 season but was ultimately replaced by Caleb Williams. After finishing with 1,483 pass yards, 11 touchdowns and five interceptions, he transferred to South Carolina to play for Shane Beamer and should be the starting quarterback this season. – VanHaaren, ESPN
Spencer Rattler had some good moments for Oklahoma, but his career never lived up to the “QB1” hype that preceded his tenure in Norman. Though he was a quarterback that underperformed at times, he was also let down by a gameplan that was trying to force the issue downfield when Rattler and the Oklahoma Sooners offense found success in the quick passing game against Kansas State. He’ll get a fresh start in South Carolina and a chance to rebuild his reputation before likely going to the NFL in 2023.
21. Dillon Gabriel from UCF
Oklahoma Offensive Coordinator Jeff Lebby pats Dillon Gabriel (8) on the helmet during the University of Oklahoma’s annual spring football game at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, April 23, 2022. Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman
What ESPN said:
In the 2019 and 2020 seasons at UCF, Gabriel threw for a combined 7,223 yards and 61 touchdowns with 11 interceptions. He is now coming into Oklahoma after the Sooners lost both Williams and Rattler, needing a stabilizing force at the position. Gabriel should be able to play right away after reuniting with offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby. – VanHaaren, ESPN
The Oklahoma Sooners had a Caleb Williams transfer portal plan and that was Dillon Gabriel. Mere hours after Williams entered the portal, Gabriel flipped from UCLA to the Sooners to reunite with Jeff Lebby, his offensive coordinator when he was a freshman at UCF.
34. Mario Williams to USC
What ESPN said:
As a freshman last season, Williams had 380 receiving yards on 35 receptions and four touchdowns. He will team up again with quarterback Caleb Williams and is part of a complete offensive reboot for the Trojans. – VanHaaren, ESPN
Mario Williams showed a lot of promise in his lone season with the Oklahoma Sooners and stayed connected to his friend Caleb Williams and transferred to USC. He’s a good wide receiver with the ability to win in every area and would benefit from more consistent playing time. He won’t be the focal point of the USC offense that has Caleb that can run the ball, Bilitnekoff winner Jordan Addison and Oregon transfer Travis Dye at running back.
Where's Tanner Moredecai?
Oct 30, 2021; Houston, Texas, USA; Southern Methodist Mustangs quarterback Tanner Mordecai (8) throws a pass against the Houston Cougars during the first quarter at TDECU Stadium. Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
One could argue that to this point, Tanner Mordecai’s transfer to SMU has been as impactful as any in the top 10 not named Jalen Hurts, simply because we saw what he did for the Mustangs last year. We haven’t yet seen Caleb Williams or Mario Williams or Jordan Addison at USC yet. They’ll be good, but VanHaaren is projecting they will be good by including them in the top 10 but excluding Mordecai altogether.
Moredcai completed 68% of his passes for 3,628 yards and threw 39 touchdowns. His performance and that of SMU’s in 2021 helped Sonny Dykes land a job at TCU the following offseason.
Key Lawrence a Key for Sooners defense
Oklahoma’s Key Lawrence (12) forces a fumble as he hits Iowa State’s Brock Purdy (15) during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Iowa State Cyclones at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021. Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman
Since VanHaaren is projecting the impact that a player like Mario Williams has had or will have, I don’t think we should sleep on the impact that Key Lawrence had in 2021 or will have for the Oklahoma Sooners defense in 2022.
His edge and physicality brought a physical attitude to the back seven that had a huge impact at Texas Tech when they threw him out there at cornerback for the first time in his career or against Iowa State when he rocked Brock Purdy to force a fumble that Jalen Redmond collected and rumbled into the end zone.
Lawrence had a strong first season in Norman, but in 2022, he will have an even bigger impact in Brent Venables’ defense.
