How Transfer WR Trell Harris Can Become a Superstar for Oklahoma

A year ago, the Sooners went after speed from the transfer portal, and it paid off.

Isaiah Sategna transferred from Arkansas to Oklahoma ahead of the 2025 season, and he led the Sooners with 67 catches for 965 yards and eight touchdowns during his first year in Norman.

The Sooners pursued the same thing after their 2025 campaign, signing former Virginia wide receiver Trell Harris — and it’s hard to not see this addition paying off.

At Virginia in 2025, Harris logged 847 yards and five touchdowns on 59 receptions, helping the Cavaliers make it to the ACC Championship Game.

Greg Madia, who covers University of Virginia athletics for The Daily Progress in Charlottesville, VA, described Harris’ speed as game-changing.

“Whenever he is in the game, he is a downfield threat that opposing defenses have to account for,” Madia said.

Harris enrolled at Virginia in 2024 after spending the first two years of his college career at Kent State.

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The wide receiver missed the majority of the Cavaliers’ 2024 season due to a knee injury. But even in that shortened season, Madia knew that Harris would eventually become one of Virginia’s premier playmakers.

“With Harris available in the first three games of 2024, UVa averaged 300.3 passing yards per game,” Madia said. “Without him, the Cavaliers averaged only 208.6 yards through the air. Opponents were able to load the box to stop the run and play bracket coverage against UVa's leading-receiver — Malachi Fields — that fall because they didn't have to account for Harris' speed.”

Harris had the benefit of health in 2025.

He played in all 12 of the Cavaliers’ regular-season games and the ACC Championship, though he opted out of Virginia’s bowl game. Harris caught multiple passes in all 13 of his appearances, and he surpassed 50 yards in seven of them.

“He was very consistent this past season,” Madia said. “I think that shows how he always wanted to help the team. UVa coaches tasked him with becoming a reliable go-to guy and Harris took that to heart.”

Harris’ most explosive performance in 2025 came in the Cavaliers’ 48-20 win over Stanford. He finished that game with four catches for 145 yards and three touchdowns.

All three of his scores in that game came in the first quarter, and per Madia, they underscored Harris’ ability to hurt opposing defenses in multiple ways.

“He caught a tunnel screen and navigated his blockers and trying tacklers of the Cardinal to get in the end zone (on the first touchdown),” Madia said. “His second touchdown in that game showcased his speed by beating Stanford over the top, and the third was similar.”

Madia said that Harris’ decision to transfer from Virginia was somewhat surprising, given the receiver’s strong relationships with Cavaliers head coach Tony Elliott and wide receivers coach Adam Mims.

Ultimately, though, Virginia splurged to sign former Missouri quarterback Beau Pribula from the portal, rather than retaining Harris. And Madia isn’t sure that the Cavaliers had the budget to achieve both.

“I'm sure they would've loved to have Harris back at the right price, but I don't think they were ever going to break the bank for a receiver,” Madia said.

If Harris can avoid any further injuries, Madia believes that the receiver will be a star for the Sooners.

“If he stays healthy, Oklahoma will get a trustworthy, reliable receiver who will inject energy into the offense,” Madia said.