Diving Into Oklahoma's Summer Newcomers, Number Changes, Who Left and How Many Are On the OU Roster

Oklahoma on Monday published an updated 2025 football roster, and some significant changes have been made since spring practice wrapped.

Most notably, the new roster includes the return of several walk-ons and preferred walk-ons who were allowed to come back under a new NCAA designation.

Coaches had until July 6 to make a decision on bringing back any walk-ons whose roster spots were eliminated by anticipated legislation that intended to reduce college football rosters to 105 (OU had more than 120 players last year and several walk-ons and a few scholarship players who didn’t contribute were asked to leave to put the team under the roster cap).

Those roster limits were adjusted according to the House v. NCAA settlement. Any current college athletes cut from teams because of roster limits, in addition to any recruits who had their offers pulled, are considered Designated Student Athletes and may return to their school after meeting certain conditions set by the school and/or team.

These DSAs will not count against the 105-man roster limit.

Oklahoma’s current roster has 111 players on it. The Sooners’ spring roster had been reduced to 106, meaning Brent Venables’ squad goes into the fall with a net of five more bodies than they had during spring practice.

Walk-on linebacker Reed DeQuasie, who left via the portal before last spring, is back on the roster, a move that would fit him under the new tag of Designated Student-Athlete. DeQuasie will wear No. 31.

Cornerback Jocelyn Malaska, another walk-on who was part of the NCAA roster reduction rule that has since been adjusted, also transferred away in April (after spring) but is back on the current roster. He will wear No. 33.

Oklahoma Sooners — 2025 OU preseason football roster | via SoonerSports.com

Plenty of other Sooners either got their new number or have a number change.

Running back Jaydn Ott, a transfer from Cal, will wear 0. That number was previously assigned to freshman Manny Choice, who has now switched to No. 21.

Quarterback Whitt Newbauer, a transfer from Mercer, will wear No. 16. That number last spring went to QB Cole Gonzales, a transfer from Western Carolina, but Gonzales left via the transfer portal.

Freshman linebacker Marcus James, a summer arrival, has taken No. 28 on defense.

Kicker Tate Sandell, a summer transfer from UTSA, will wear No. 29.

Center Jake Maikkula, a summer transfer from Stanford, will wear No. 69.

Wide receiver Jer’Michael Carter, another summer transfer from McNeese State, is wearing No. 84.

Freshman defensive lineman C.J. Nickson, who also arrived this summer, will wear No. 88.

Defensive tackle Siolaa Lolohea, a post-spring transfer from Utah State, will wear No. 96.

The five players who left after spring practice are Gonzales, running back Gavin Sawchuk, safety Peter Schuh, cornerback Mykel Patterson-McDonald and offensive lineman Josh Aisosa.

The 10 newcomers this summer are Ott, Newbauer, James, Sandell, Maikkula, Carter, Nickson, Lolohea, linebacker Elgee Webster and linebacker Barrett Travis.