Warm Welcome Allowing Transfer CB Prince Ijioma to Thrive at Oklahoma

NORMAN — Oklahoma didn’t feel foreign to Prince Ijioma when he arrived on campus.

Ijioma, a cornerback who transferred to OU from Mississippi Valley State, grew up in Little Elm, Texas, located just a couple hours away from Norman in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. He and OU quarterback John Mateer were high school teammates.

Ijioma was also close friends with defensive lineman Nigel Smith II — a Melissa, Texas, native — and cornerback Eli Bowen, who hails from Corinth, Texas.

“Prince got welcomed pretty quickly,” Bowen said.

How did Ijioma jump from MVSU — a middling FCS program — to an SEC team like Oklahoma?

Connections and game film went a long way.

Ijioma was a standout for the Delta Devils in 2025. He finished his second college football season with 39 pass breakups and four pass breakups despite his team’s 2-9 finish.

Years ago, Ijioma accompanied Smith on his visits to Oklahoma. Smith was a 4-star prospect from the Class of 2024, while Ijioma was unranked.

Ijioma didn’t receive an offer from OU out of high school. But the relationships he built with OU’s coaches on those unofficial visits — and his ongoing friendship with Smith — paid off when he entered the transfer portal after the 2025 season, and he eventually signed with the Sooners.

“I feel like I’m meant to be here, honestly,” Ijioma said in March.

In addition to being teammates, Ijioma and Smith are now roommates. Bowen isn’t as close to Ijioma as Smith is — but he has similarly known him for several years.

And according to Bowen, Ijioma is a more polished player after spending two seasons at the FCS level.

“I feel like he was always a great athlete, good ball skills, but I would say his football IQ is really good,” Bowen said. “Having experience really helps him understand what's going on and what other people are doing on the field and whatnot.”

Bowen is confident that Ijioma has developed, but the jump from the SWAC to the SEC is still not an easy one. But Ijioma will have plenty of time to gain experience as a depth piece before competing for a starting role.

Bowen and sophomore Courtland Guillory are slated to be OU’s starting corners in 2026, while senior Jacobe Johnson will likely serve as the top backup to those two. Ijioma is one of two transfer cornerbacks who joined OU’s roster after the 2025 season, along with former Oregon defensive back Dakoda Fields.

Ijioma won’t carry too much pressure into his first season at Oklahoma. But he also feels confident that he can thrive if he is called upon for a significant role.

“I lead by example, and I have experience,” Ijioma said. “I know what I’m doing, in a way.”

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