'You Never Know Who's Watching': Prince Ijioma's Transfer Portal Gamble Pays off

NORMAN — Prince Ijioma thought he was just along for the ride when he took recruiting visits with his childhood best friend Nigel Smith.

But one of those visits made three years ago paid off for Ijioma.

After spending two seasons at Mississippi Valley State, the cornerback was a late addition to Oklahoma’s offseason transfer portal haul.

And it’s hard to imagine a player being more excited to be on the Sooners’ roster than Ijioma.

After two seasons with the Delta Devils, Ijioma felt like he’d outgrown the program.

MVSU went 3-21 during Ijioma’s time there and though he’d grown both as a football player and a person, he felt like it was time to move on and prove himself on a higher level.

“It made me who I am,” Ijioma said. “... The past two years, it changed my character and everything, I felt like I just wanted more. Honestly, I felt like I could be more.”

So Ijioma took a chance and entered the transfer portal, but wasn’t sure what his prospects there would be.

“Nobody’s really thinking of recruiting a cornerback from Mississippi Valley State,” he said.

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Ijioma had 59 tackles, four pass breakups and no interceptions during his time with the Delta Devils, not bad numbers but certainly not eye-popping ones that would catch the attention of major college coaches.

But then a call from Smith came.

“Bro, we’re looking at your film right now,” Smith told him. “Don’t get your hopes up. Just chill, and know we’re watching.”

Though Smith warned him not to get too excited about it, Ijioma figured this was the break he needed.

“Everything brightened up,” Ijioma said. “Everything turned around for me.”

If coaches were watching his film, they’d see the type of player he was.

“I’m jumping in my room, I’m screaming and stuff,” Ijioma said.

It didn’t take too long after that call for the offer to come, and Ijioma didn’t hesitate to accept.

Coming out of Little Elm (Texas) High School — the same school that produced Sooners’ quarterback John Mateer — Ijioma took some time to gain any traction as a recruit.

“I was a late bloomer coming out of high school,” Ijioma said. “I didn’t get my offers until about, really, three weeks before signing day.”

When Mississippi Valley State offered — the only Division I school that took the chance on Ijioma — he accepted without even visiting the school.

He learned plenty during his two seasons at MVSU.

“It doesn’t matter your circumstances, you need to keep working no matter what because you never know the outcome,” Ijioma said. “You never know who’s watching.”

Now, Ijioma and Smith — who grew up playing football together and remained tight even after Smith moved — are not only teammates but roommates.

Smith, a redshirt sophomore defensive lineman, has been getting plenty of praise recently for his offseason work.

“I’ve seen nothing but greatness,” Ijioma said. “Nothing but a guy picking up his team, nothing but a guy that’s putting his head down and working every day. This is the year for Nigel.”

There has already been some challenges in Norman for Ijioma, after cornerbacks coach Jay Valai left for an NFL job with the Buffalo Bills.

But Ijioma has been happy with LaMar Morgan, Valai's replacement.

“I trust coach BV (Brent Venables) to put the right candidate in,” Ijioma said. “So it wasn’t no drop off from Valai to Coach Morgan.”