Top transfer portal priorities for the Oklahoma Sooners

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The 2025 season ended for the Oklahoma Sooners with their 34-24 loss to Alabama in the first round of the College Football Playoff. Now the task for head coach Brent Venables and general manager Jim Nagy is to take a hard look at the roster and begin re-tooling it for 2026.

They signed a top 15 recruiting class for the 2026 cycle, but will need to dive into the transfer portal to fill more immediate needs. This will be Nagy's first full offseason with the Sooners with his staff in place. And with Nagy leading the charge in player acquisition, the Sooners will hit the ground running.

Nagy mentioned during the early signing period press conference that the Sooners will prioritize the quarterback position and those positions that affect the quarterback. In the NFL, that's reflected as the "money 5." The quarterback, wide receiver, offensive tackle, pass rusher, and cornerback. Those positions, on average, are paid more and drafted higher than others in the NFL when NFL teams are building their rosters.

So with the portal a little over a week away, here's a look at positions that should be transfer portal priorities for the Sooners this offseason.

1. Wide Receiver

Deion Burks and Keontez Lewis are out of eligibility. Isaiah Sategna could forego his senior season and enter the draft. That doesn't leave a lot of returning production at the position.

Oklahoma has a lot of potential at wide receiver with Javonnie Gibson, Zion Kearney, Ivan Carreon, Elijah Thomas, Jacob Jordan, and a talented group of true freshmen. Still, if Sategna goes to the NFL, they'll need a pass catcher that can come in and be the lead wide receiver from the jump.

2. Defensive End

Taylor Wein will be back. He led the Sooners in sacks last season with seven. The departures of R Mason Thomas and Marvin Jones Jr. leave a hole at defensive end in 2026. The expectation is that Adepoju Adebawore, Danny Okoye, and Wyatt Gilmore will compete for snaps in the defensive end rotation. That trio combined for 5.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss in 2025.

Oklahoma may be content going into the season with that group and the additions of Jake Kreul, Matthew Nelson, and Daniel Norman, but it may need to look into a player with more seasoning for their four-man rotation at edge. The Sooners have added veteran defensive ends each of the last two portal cycles in Caiden Woullard and Marvin Jones Jr. It wouldn't be surprising to see them do it again.

3. Linebacker

Linebacker is going to be an interesting position to follow. Kobie McKinzie is entering the transfer portal when it opens, according to reports. Owen Heinecke is still hoping the NCAA grants him a waiver for another year of eligibility. Kip Lewis could be at worst a top 100 pick in the 2026 NFL draft and could potentially be a second-round selection due to his speed and athleticism. That trio combined for 1,345 snaps this season.

The Sooners could have Sammy Omosigho return and have a lot of potential in James Nesta and Marcus James but they'll need some veteran options if Lewis and Heinecke are no longer around.

4. Defensive Tackle

Despite the departures of Gracen Halton and Damonic Williams, defensive tackle is in good hands with Jayden Jackson and David Stone. There's a lot of talent. But Oklahoma will be really young at the position. Markus Strong saw more playing time this year, and Trent Wilson, Brian Harris, and James Carrington will have a chance to make an early impact. But Oklahoma should probably be in the market for a seasoned upperclassman to fortify the rotation.

5. Guard

Oklahoma offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh has done a great job in the transfer portal finding plug and play offensive guards. Whether it was Chris Murray, McKade Mettauer, or Febechi Nwaiwu, Bedenbaugh's found veteran guards to help provide leadership and stability.

The Sooners will bring back offensive tackles Michael Fasusi and Ryan Fodjes. Redshirt sophomore Eddy Pierre-Louis will return, and so will center Jake Maikkula. That could potentially be four of your five starting offensive linemen next season.

6. Tight End

With 44 receptions for 533 yards, Jaren Kanak had the best receiving season for a tight end since Brayden Willis in 2022. Oklahoma struggled for consistency at the position in 2022 and 2023 and relied on Kanak making the conversion from linebacker to get something out of tight end in 2025. Oklahoma needs to find a player at the position who can help in the running game while also providing a threat in the passing attack.

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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Wide receiver leads Oklahoma Sooners transfer portal priorities

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