Mass Exodus: Breaking Down Oklahoma’s 2024 Roster Turnover
The Oklahoma Sooners are undergoing a major roster shake-up heading into the 2025 season, with a staggering 46 players from the 2024 squad set to depart Norman. While some have exhausted their eligibility, others have opted for new opportunities through the transfer portal, leaving Brent Venables and his staff with significant gaps to fill.
Who’s Out? A Look at the Departures
Graduating Stars & NFL Hopefuls
A total of 20 Sooners have played their final snap in the crimson and cream. Notably, defensive standouts Danny Stutsman, Billy Bowman Jr., and Ethan Downs—all of whom earned NFL Scouting Combine invitations—headline the list of departures. The unit also loses key contributors like Trace Ford, Woodi Washington, and Caiden Woullard.
The special teams unit will be completely overhauled, with Luke Elzinga (P), Zach Schmit (K), and Tyler Keltner (K) all moving on. While not flashy losses, replacing this trio could be an underrated challenge for Oklahoma.
On the offensive side, the Sooners lose a handful of contributors, including Jake Roberts (TE), Branson Hickman (OL), and Michael Tarquin (OL), but overall, the offensive attrition isn’t as significant as on defense.
Key Losses to the Transfer Portal
While the Sooners held their ground in some areas, the transfer portal still took its toll, with 26 players opting to take their talents elsewhere.
The biggest name on the move is quarterback Jackson Arnold, who transferred to Auburn. However, Oklahoma quickly mitigated that loss by bringing in Washington State QB John Mateer and retaining Michael Hawkins Jr.
The wide receiver room took a major hit, with six receivers heading elsewhere, including Jaquaize Pettaway (East Carolina), Nic Anderson (LSU), Jalil Farooq (Maryland), Andrel Anthony (Duke), Brenen Thompson (Mississippi State), and J.J. Hester (Kentucky). Adding to the sting, Bauer Sharp, who led OU in receiving yards, has also left for LSU.
Defensively, Dasan McCullough (Nebraska), Kani Walker (Arkansas), Makari Vickers (Colorado), and Jayden Rowe (Kansas State) were among those opting for fresh starts elsewhere. Despite this, Venables and his staff did a solid job retaining key defensive players, even after a coordinator change.
Assessing the Damage: How Bad Are These Losses?
Despite the sheer number of departures, the Sooners appear to have weathered the storm well. While the transfer portal losses include some key names, no catastrophic departures threaten to derail the program. The biggest challenge will be replenishing the wide receiver corps and shoring up special teams, but Oklahoma has already been active in the transfer market to fill those gaps.
With new faces coming in and a fresh slate ahead, Venables and the Sooners now turn their focus to 2025, aiming to reload rather than rebuild.
