It appears the Oklahoma Sooners football team will have some depth in its linebacking corps pared.
Thursday, it was reported that Levi Draper is entering his name into the NCAA transfer database, the first step in leaving OU. An Oklahoma Sooners football official subsequently confirmed that Draper will be entering the portal.
The linebacker’s time in Norman hasn’t officially come to an end, however, as he could always pull his name from the portal and return.
A four-star member of Oklahoma’s 2017 recruiting class, Draper was rated as the No. 5 inside linebacker in the country and the No. 2 player at any position in the state of Oklahoma. On the 247Sports.com composite, he was the No. 118 prospect overall. Only three signees in the Sooners’ class that year were rated higher than Draper.
Injuries helped lead to Draper take a redshirt as a true freshman. The past two seasons, Draper played in 28 games. Most of that action came on special teams.
When Draper does find a new school, it should be as a graduate transfer. That would then leave him with two years of eligibility to use.
Draper is one of a handful of Sooners who have entered the portal of late. From the school’s student newspaper:
It’s not all attrition at OU, however. Earlier this week, the program confirmed the addition of UCLA transfer wide receiver Theo Howard. The receiver was honorable mention All-Pac-12 in 2018.
Howard graduated from UCLA in December, giving him immediate eligibility at OU this coming season.