Oklahoma Sooners Win Big in Portal; No NIL Issue in Norman

Originally posted on Sooner Pulse | By Kade Kimble | Last updated 5/3/24

Any rumblings on a potential NIL crisis in Norman can be fully put to rest after the Oklahoma Sooners landed a huge commitment in the spring transfer portal on Thursday evening.

The Sooners are fully SEC ready, and they’re proving that. They’re headed into a gauntlet of a league at the same time of the transfer portal and NIL playing a prominent role in college football. As a true blue blood and one of the most storied programs in the nation, they’re adapting just fine.

Sooners land top DT in nation

As mentioned, the Sooners made a statement Thursday. They landed TCU defensive tackle transfer Damonic Williams. The 6-foot-2, 300-pound defensive tackle was the top transfer at the position across the nation, and was heavily recruited out of the portal. Landing in Norman, he’s going to be a wrecking ball in the interior.

BREAKING: Former TCU Standout DL Damonic Williams has Committed to Oklahoma, he tells @on3sports

The 6’2 320 DL totaled 60 Tackles, 9.5 TFL, & 4.5 Sacks in his time at TCU

Was the Top Available DL in the Portal (per On3 Industry)https://t.co/Yq4pZNCDu3 pic.twitter.com/Ebe1zvSKX1

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) May 3, 2024

Strong play in the trenches is crucial for playing competitive football in the SEC. Because of this, offensive and defensive linemen are able to make a pretty penny in the transfer portal. The Sooners were able to offer that, proving to have enough NIL money to land one of the top transfers in the portal this spring.

Williams finished with 33 tackles, five tackles for loss and three sacks a year ago after a strong showing during his freshman campaign in 2022.

Sooners clearly not behind in NIL

Landing a top talent out of the portal in the current era of college football proves Oklahoma isn’t behind in the NIL department. This is huge for Brent Venables and Todd Bates, who secured an incredible commitment. Having the backing of a strong NIL is huge as they want to compete at the highest level in college football, so this should be comforting for Sooners fans heading into the new era.

This article first appeared on Sooner Pulse and was syndicated with permission.

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