How Oklahoma Improved its Offensive Line in the Transfer Portal

Oklahoma returns a steady foundation along the offensive line, but the Sooners needed to make some moves to prevent a drop-off in 2025.

The most important thing OU general manager Jim Nagy, head coach Brent Venables and offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh were able to accomplish was maintaining continuity up front.

Center Jake Maikkula was second on the unit with 710 offensive snaps in 2025 per Pro Football Focus, and he’s set to return. He’ll be joined by Michael Fasusi (676 snaps), Eddy Pierre-Louis (446 snaps), Ryan Fodje (433 snaps) and Heath Ozaeta (398 snaps) to form the experienced core of the group.

Right guard Febechi Nwaiwu, OU’s most consistent offensive lineman the past two years, and tackle Derek Simmons both graduated, but there’s plenty of optimism that the returning group will be able to take a big step forward.

Fasusi and Fodje were thrown into the fire as true freshmen this past season, experiences they’ll only grow from as they enter a second offseason of collegiate conditioning and a full cycle of spring football and fall camp.

Oklahoma Sooners, Michael Fasusi — Oklahoma offensive lineman Michael Fasusi goes through pre-game warmups. | Carson Field, Sooners on SI

Maikkula joined OU last summer in the spring transfer portal window, meaning he’s never undergone winter workouts or spring ball in Norman. His understanding of Ben Arbuckle’s offense and the exact way Bedenbaugh wants him to play should only grow with another year of coaching, even though he is a veteran.

Ozaeta returns a great deal of experience from both 2024 and 2025, and Pierre-Louis battled in some of the SEC’s toughest environments in Knoxville and Tuscaloosa, and he experienced the crucible of the College Football Playoff as a starting guard.

Oklahoma isn’t just relying on that homegrown talent to compete with each other, though.

The Sooners added Arkansas transfer E’Marion Harris, who brings two years of SEC starting experience.

He played six games at guard and seven games at tackle in 2024, and played in every game but one in 2025 at right tackle for the Razorbacks.

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Harris will provide valuable competition for Fodje at right tackle. If Harris ends up winning the starting job, that could allow Fodje to slide back inside to right guard and compete with Ozaeta. But at the worst, Harris will be able to fill the void left by Logan Howland after he entered the portal as the Sooners’ swing tackle to provide cover for both Fasusi and Fodje.

On the inside, Western Kentucky transfer Caleb Nitta fills an immediate need.

When Troy Everett went down with a season-ending injury, Nwaiwu had to serve as Maikkula’s backup at center. The second Maikkula exited the lineup, Bedenbaugh had to shuffle the entire right side of the line to compensate.

Nitta provides an experienced backup to Maikkula.

He was Western Kentucky’s best graded run blocker in 2025, per PFF, and he was the Hilltoppers' second-highest graded pass blocker. Nitta should be more than capable of stepping in for Maikkula, giving the Sooners a piece they lacked in 2025.

Georgia Tech transfer Peyton Joseph is OU’s 2026 wild card.

Oklahoma Sooners, Peyton Josep — Georgia Tech offensive lineman Peyton Joseph warms up before the Yellow Jackets take on Duke. | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

The former 4-star recruit played just four offensive snaps for the Yellow Jackets in 2025, all coming against Gardner-Webb. He also appeared in five different contests on the punt team.

The 6-foot-4, 305-pound lineman is incredibly athletic and can move in space, meaning he has the potential to line up just about anywhere Bedenbaugh wants across the offensive line.

With so many experienced pieces in place, Joseph can step in as a high-upside development project with three years of eligibility remaining. If he comes in and performs so well that he climbs up the depth chart, that’s just the cherry on top for Bedenbaugh in 2026.

The OU offensive line coach also signed a pair of physical linemen in Deacon Schmitt and Noah Best in the 2026 recruiting class, though there won’t be much pressure on either player to play significant snaps early if the unit can stay healthy during the spring.

Oklahoma Sooners, Deacon Schmitt — Oklahoma offensive line signee Deacon Schmitt (73). | Kevin Lytle/The Coloradoan / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Oklahoma did lose six linemen to the portal, though the production loss was minimal.

Jacob Sexton was only able to play in nine games over the last two years due to injury, though he pushed for a starting job when healthy.

Jake Taylor’s potential was never fully fulfilled for the Sooners due to injury, and it’s unclear if Everett will get a medical redshirt for the 2025 season, though he entered the portal just in case he gets another year.

Howland also battled injury setbacks as OU’s second-string tackle, and neither Isaiah Autry-Dent nor Luke Baklenko truly factored into the rotation in a major way in 2025.

Eight guys ultimately departed from Bedenbaugh’s room either to graduation or the transfer portal, and with only five bodies coming in, OU could use another body or two for camp, but the way the two-deep is shaping up heading into spring practice, the Sooners appear to have an opportunity to play better up front in 2026.