Oklahoma Sooners score first big win of the transfer portal by beating out hated SEC rivals for key playmaker at position of need
The Oklahoma Sooners reeled in their first big fish of the transfer portal by adding tight end Hayden Hansen.
The Oklahoma Sooners have been active in the transfer portal, quickly working to bring a whole slew of visitors to campus despite the portal only being open for a couple of days. The Sooners are hoping to capitalize on their momentum from a strong College Football Playoff season to reel in a strong class of transfers.
They scored their first win of the transfer portal on Sunday, reeling in a talented playmaker from another SEC school. Former Florida Gators tight end Hayden Hansen committed to the Sooners Sunday afternoon, adding a premier player to a position Oklahoma desperately needed.
Hayden Hansen is exactly what the Sooners need next year
The Sooners are undergoing a complete transformation in the tight end room ahead of 2026. They fired tight ends coach Joe Jon Finley and are hitting the reset button on the entire room, as Jaren Kanak is off to the NFL, while Carson Kent and Kaden Helms have all elected to transfer.
Oklahoma has two talented freshmen it likes, but it needs bodies who can come in right away and deliver an impact as they prepare for another CFP run in 2026.
The 6-7, 268-pound tight end from the Gators is a perfect fit for what Oklahoma needs in the room for the 2026 season. I spoke to A to Z Sports Florida Gators writer Tyler Forness about the type of player Hansen is, and he’s exactly what the doctor ordered for the Sooners this season.
“Hansen is a talented player at tight end, mainly succeeding as a more traditional inline player,’ Forness said. “This past season was the most productive for Hansen during his three seasons in Gainesville, catching 30 passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns.
“His specialty is in the run game. Hansen can drive defenders off the ball when they are smaller, but will struggle against more powerful edge rushers. He won’t give you a ton of explosiveness in the passing game, but will give you a solid baseline of play at a position can can make or break the effectiveness of an offense.”
One thing that was missing from the offense was a capable blocker in the tight end room. So often, the tight ends would get pushed into rushing lanes or wouldn’t generate enough push to displace any defenders, limiting the available running room for Oklahoma’s running backs. Hansen will deliver that in spades.
I still expect the Sooners to be involved for at least one, if not two, more tight ends out of the portal as they look to reset that room to build around John Mateer. This is a major win for the Sooners, as they beat out programs like the Texas Longhorns, Texas A&M Aggies, and Texas Tech Red Raiders, all of whom had expressed interest in the former Gator.
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