The new 2025 Oklahoma Sooner football team has brought in a lot of new talent from the high school ranks and the transfer portal.

Headlining the high school signees are wide receiver Elijah Thomas, Checotah; offensive lineman Michael Fasusi, Lewisville, Tx; and offensive lineman Ryan Fodje, Cypress, Texas.

Thomas is a wide receiver from Checotah OK, he is 6 feet tal and weighs 185.  He was considered the No. 1 recruit in Oklahoma by 247 Sports.  He is credited as a senior for 1,803 yards and 26 touchdowns on 72 receptions, rushed 63 times for 406 and 10 touchdowns and 234 yards off of six kickoff returns (including a 99-yard TD). Thomas chose Oklahoma over Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas State and Texas A&M and others.

Fasusi, at 6’5” and 302 lbs. was a top-ten national prospect.He was rated as the nation’s No. 6 overall recruit by ESPN and as the nation’s No. 1 offensive tackle prospect according to 247Sports and ESPN. He moved from Nigeria to Lewisville, Texas in 2019 and learned football there. He chose OU over Missouri, Texas, Texas A&M and others.

Fodje hails from Cypress, TX, is 6’ 5” and weighs 324. He is considered to be the nation’s  No. 70 by 247Sports … rated as the No. 13 offensive tackle prospect by 247Sports. Fodje chose Oklahoma over Houston, Tennessee, Texas, Oregon and others.

The other signees include Darius Afalava, OL, Lehi, Utah; Tory Blaylock, RB, Humble, Texas; Emmanuel Choice, WR, Lancaster, Texas; Courtland Guillory, S, Spring, Texas; Maliek Hawkins, CB, McKinney, Texas; Trystan Haynes, CB, Oklahoma City; Owen Hollenbeck, OL, Melissa, Texas; Marcus James, LB, Oklahoma City; CJ Nickson, DE, Weatherford; Jett Niu, QB, Lehi, Utah; Omarion Robinson, S, Little Rock, Arkansas; Alexander Shieldnight, DE, Wagoner; Trynae Washington, ATH, Oklahoma City; Trent Wilson, DL, Upper Marlboro, Maryland; and Marcus Wimberly, S, Bauxite, Arkansas.

The Sooners’ offense is undergoing some big changes with new offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle from Washington State and with him transfer John Mateer, the hotshot quarterback for the Cougars last season.

Mateer in 2024 was a redshirt sophomore, who became the team captain for Washington State. At 6’1” and 224 he is expected to be the quarterback for the Sooners with Jackson Arnold leaving through the transfer portal to go to Auburn. Mateer was the quarterback for Washington State in both 2023 and 2024, playing only one game in 2022.  He completed 239 out of 366 passes in his time there for 3,406 yards,  and 32 touchdowns with only 8 interceptions. He also rushed 203 times for 977 yards and 18 touchdowns for a total of  50 touchdowns and 4,383 yards of total offense.

He played highschool ball in Little Elm, Texas.

He was a Manning Award Finalist, an Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Semifinalist and was named to the Davey O’Brien Award Watch List. He was the only quarterback in the country with 20+ touchdown passes and 10+ rushing touchdowns last year.

The other transfers coming in this year are Tate Sandell, K,5-10 / 180, UTSA; Jer’Michael Carter, WR, 6-4 / 192, McNeese; Ricky Lolohea, DL, 6-3 / 330, Utah State; Whitt Newbauer,QB, 6-6 / 225,

Mercer; Jaydn Ott, RB, 6-0 / 205, California; Jake Maikkula,IOL,6-5 / 295, Stanford; Josiah Martin, WR, 5-11 / 170, California;  Keontez Lewis, WR, 6-2 / 190, Southern Illinois; Marvin Jones Jr., EDGE, 6-5 / 255, Florida State; Cole Gonzales, QB, 6-0 / 195,  Western Carolina; Kendal Daniels, LB, 6-4 / 235, Oklahoma State; John Locke Jr., TE, 6-4 / 241, Louisiana Tech; Isaiah Sategna, WR, 5-11 / 185, Arkansas; Will Huggins, TE, 6-7 / 254, Pittsburg State; Luke Baklenko, OT, 6-6 / 305, Stanford; Derek Simmons, OT, 6-6 / 325, Western Carolina; Javonnie Gibson, WR, 6-3 / 205, Arkansas-Pine Bluff; Austin Welch, K, 5-11 / 170, Kennesaw State; Jacob Ulrich, P, 6-5 / 205, Kennesaw State; and Carson Kent, TE, 6-4 / 240, Kennesaw State.

The list of players leaving OU through the portal begins with Jackson Arnold – Quarterback (transferred to Auburn), Nic Anderson – Wide Receiver (transferred to LSU), Bauer Sharp – Tight End (transferred to LSU), Jalil Farooq – Wide Receiver (transferred to Maryland), Brenen Thompson – Wide Receiver (transferred to Mississippi State), Andrel Anthony – Wide Receiver (transferred to Duke), Dasan McCullough – Linebacker (transferred to Nebraska), J.J. Hester – Wide Receiver (transferred to Kentucky), Makari Vickers – Defensive Back (transferred to Colorado), Jaquaize Pettaway – Wide Receiver (transferred to East Carolina), Kalib Hicks – Running Back (transferred to Oklahoma State), Emeka Megwa – Running Back, Evan McClure – Offensive Lineman (signed with Tulsa), Chapman McKown – Running Back, Ty Kubicek – Offensive Lineman (signed with Harding Football), Jayden Rowe – Defensive Back (signed with Kansas State), Joshua Bates – Offensive Lineman (transferred to SMU), Geirean Hatchett – Offensive Lineman (transferred to Washington), Phil Picciotti – Linebacker, Brendan Zurbrugg – Quarterback, Lewis Carter – Linebacker (transferred to UCF), Mykel Patterson-McDonald – Defensive Back, Jocelyn Malaska – Defensive Back, Cole Gonzales – Quarterback (committed to Pitt), Josh Aisosa – Offensive Lineman (committed to West Virginia), Sam Franklin – Running Back (committed to USF), Davon Mitchell – Tight End (committed to Louisville), Gavin Sawchuk – Running Back (committed to FSU)

Eugene Brooks – Offensive Lineman, Kani Walker – Cornerback

Erik McCarty – Safety, Kenny Wermy – Offensive Lineman, Steele Wasel – Quarterback, Davon Sears – Defensive Lineman,  and Ashton Sanders – Defensive Lineman (transferred to UCLA).