Oklahoma Freshman RB Enters Transfer Portal
Oklahoma’s dwindling running back room got even thinner on Monday.
Freshman Daylan Smothers has announced his entry into the NCAA Transfer Portal — the third Sooner running back on his way out and the second of the afternoon.
The 5-foot-11, 190-pound Smothers, from West Charlotte High School in North Carolina, played just four games for the Sooners in 2023 — Arkansas State and Tulsa at the beginning of the season, and then Oklahoma State and West Virginia toward the end of the season. According to Pro Football Focus, he got just 33 snaps this year and graded out at 64.4 offensively.
A 4-star prospect, Smothers was declared academically ineligible for his senior year after a transfer snag. But Smothers was a two-time North Carolina Mr. Football after rushing for 1,581 yards and 28 touchdowns as a junior and 1,206 yards and 12 touchdowns as a sophomore.
Smothers chose OU over Florida State, North Carolina State and others.
Smothers’ departure follows those of Marcus Major (Monday) and Tawee Walker (last week), but opens the door for incoming freshmen like Taylor Tatum (rated as the No. 1 high school running back in the country) and Xavier Robinson of Carl Albert High School in Midwest City, OK.
It also means more opportunities for other running backs currently on the roster, such as returning starter Gavin Sawchuk, 2022 backup Jovantae Barnes and freshman Kalib Hicks.
