On Wednesday, December 28th, former Oklahoma State defensive end Trace Ford announced that he will be transferring to the Oklahoma Sooners. Ford hails from Edmond, Oklahoma, and did not hold an offer from the Sooners coming out of high school. Ford’s recruitment was considered one of the biggest recruiting blunders by the Lincoln Riley staff. However, it appears that the new staff has “righted the wrong” by picking him up in the transfer portal over USC and Auburn.
As you would expect, this has not gone over well with Poke fans. Many are angry that he decided to transfer to their archrival. Some have even taken to twitter and message boards to voice their opinions.
What Does Trace Ford Bring to Norman?
Defensive line is obviously a position of need for Oklahoma. Although he has struggled with injuries throughout his career, Trace Ford is still an extremely talented player. The 6-3, 227 pound EDGE has totaled 8.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and 14 pass deflections through three years. Still, he has torn his ACL twice, so there is definitely some injury concerns there. Will he be able to stay healthy? Will he still be as effective as he was? There are definitely some questions to be asked about Trace Ford, but Brent Venables has said before that “if we’re going to take a chance on someone, it might as well be an Oklahoma kid.”
If he can stay healthy, I expect Trace Ford to be a big contributor from the beginning. He could very well make a push for a starting job, but the competition will be stiff. Reggie Grimes, R Mason Thomas, PJ Adebawore, and Marcus Stripling will all be competing for that spot alongside Ethan Downs. Regardless, Trace Ford is a big pickup for the Sooners that brings a veteran presence to a young locker room.
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