After three seasons in the crimson and cream, Key Lawrence will look for an opportunity elsewhere as he prepares to utilize his final season of collegiate eligibility.

The senior safety, who transferred to Oklahoma in the spring of 2021 after spending his freshman season at Tennessee, is bound for the NCAA transfer portal.

Lawrence has played in 36 games across the last three seasons for the Sooners, recording a total of 149 tackles, 15 pass breakups and two interceptions. However, his playing time had begun to dwindle at Oklahoma, a trend that would likely have continued had he returned to Norman in 2024.

The former top-100 recruit from Nashville signed with the Volunteer State's flagship program coming out of high school, but left Tennessee after a rocky 2020 season culminated in the firing of then-head coach Jeremy Pruitt. He was one of three Volunteers who transferred to Oklahoma prior to the 2021 season, as offensive tackle Wanya Morris and running back Eric Gray re-joined forces with Lawrence in Norman.

Most recently, Lawrence began the 2023 season as a starter, but as the year progressed, he ceded snaps to breakout freshman Peyton Bowen and sophomore thumper Robert Spears-Jennings. Most signs indicate that superstar safety Billy Bowman will return to Oklahoma in 2024 for his senior season, and with blue-chip prospects Michael Boganowski, Mykel Patterson-McDonald and Jaydan Hardy set to join the fold, the Sooners aren't exactly scraping the bottom of the barrel for depth in the safety room. Also in the mix are freshmen Daeh McCullough and Erik McCarty, both of whom redshirted in 2023.

Lawrence is listed at 6-foot-1 and 206 pounds, and has played in 46 total games during his time at Tennessee and Oklahoma. He's seen snaps at safety, at corner and at nickel, and his versatility and experience should create a solid market for his services in the portal.

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