The NCAA transfer portal officially opened for the lone 2026 cycle on Friday. This year, the transfer portal will be open until January 16th, and the spring portal window has been eliminated. With a flurry of players for the Oklahoma Sooners announcing their intentions to transfer earlier this week, OU saw another exit on Friday morning.
The latest departure comes in the form of running back Taylor Tatum, who entered the portal after spending two seasons in Norman. Tatum was the No. 1 running back prospect in the 2024 recruiting class, and was a big get for the Sooners. He saw some action and showed some promise as a true freshman, rushing for 278 yards and three touchdowns in a crowded OU backfield, but he also struggled with ball security, and saw less action down the stretch of that season.
As a sophomore in 2025, Tatum dealt with various injuries for most of the year. He only appeared in one game, registering one carry for -1 yard in the win over South Carolina. The present and future of the running back position in Norman looks to be in the hands of Xavier Robinson and Tory Blaylock, neither of whom was as heralded as Tatum was coming out of high school.
Tatum is the second running back to hit the portal for the Sooners this offseason, as he follows Jovantae Barnes out the door. OU also appears set to lose senior Jaydn Ott, who should be out of eligibility after participating in seven games in 2025. The Sooners will be looking for depth in the backfield behind Robinson and Blaylock in the portal, while also potentially trying to make a successful transfer splash at running back in the next couple of weeks. Oklahoma signed Jonathan Hatton Jr. and DeZephen Walker back in December, and that duo will begin their true freshman seasons in 2026.
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