Another ex-Oklahoma offensive lineman, Savion Byrd, revealed his decision to transfer to SMU on Tuesday. Byrd, who participated in eight games and held the starting position in four as a left guard during the 2023 season, follows the footsteps of Nate Anderson, another former OU offensive lineman, in committing to SMU this week. Originally a highly sought-after recruit from Duncanville, TX, Byrd relinquished his starting role on the offensive line to Cayden Green this season, who also departed Norman through the transfer portal.
Byrd’s move to SMU implies that the Sooners will need to actively seek replacements via the transfer portal to fill the gaps along their offensive line. Walter Rouse, the left tackle, and McKade Mettauer, the right guard, are set to exhaust their eligibility after the Alamo Bowl. Additionally, Andrew Raym, the center, and Tyler Guyton, the right tackle, chose to skip the bowl game to prepare for the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft.
Jacob Sexton has already taken over Tyler Guyton’s position at right tackle and is anticipated to transition to the left tackle position next season. Bill Bedenbaugh, the offensive line coach at OU, successfully secured the verbal commitment of Spencer Brown, the former right tackle from Michigan State, earlier this month. Additionally, Troy Everett and Joshua Bates remain at the university and are in contention for the center position vacancy. Despite these moves, there’s still a considerable amount of work ahead to revamp the offensive line before the Sooners embark on SEC competition next season, led by quarterback Jackson Arnold directing Oklahoma’s offense.
Leave a Reply