Sooners LB Konnor Near enters transfer portal
According to a report from On3's Pete Nakos, Oklahoma linebacker Konnor Near is set to enter the transfer portal after spending one season in Norman.
Since his name did not appear on the spring roster when it was released, this move appears to have been in the works for some time.
Near, a redshirt senior, played in 12 games for the Sooners in 2023, appearing mostly on special teams. He totaled seven tackles in his lone season with the Sooners after transferring in from Ferris State (D-II) after winning back-to-back national titles with the Bulldogs.
With the Oklahoma roster in flux after Brent Venables took over the program in December of 2021, the defense was a work in progress. It looked like a situation where a First-Team D-II All-American could come in and contribute right away.
Near will have just one year of eligibility remaining but brings a wealth of experience and success along with him. Listed at 6-foot-2, 235 pounds, Near is a four-year starter, a former captain, and what Venables described as "a beast" last summer.
“Konnor Near is a four-year starter,” Venables said during 2023 Big 12 Media Days. “He’s an All-American. He’s a captain. He’s a national champion. My fear at linebacker is that we’ve got one linebacker that’s ever started a college football game in Danny Stutsman. And (we) really wanted to bring the right person, the right individual, the right player that fit our culture, our playing style, that brought experience. I wasn’t just going to bring in an experienced guy. I wanted a guy that can line up and play winning football for us.
“Konnor is a guy that’s going to bring instincts, toughness, physicality. He’s gonna be able to lead a defense. He’s going to be able to communicate. He’s going to be able to perform under pressure. And he knows right from wrong. He understands standards. He understands a locker room. He understands leadership. He understands tough coaching and he’s won at the highest level. I’m excited to bring in a guy like Konnor and he’ll help expedite growth of other players.”
It appeared that Near might play a vital role for the Sooners in 2023 as Oklahoma tried to overcome one of the worst defensive seasons in its history the year prior.
However, the Sooners' linebacker play in 2023 was solid and even great at times, with Danny Stutsman and Kip Lewis combining to create one of the best duos in the Big 12.
With both Stutsman and Lewis returning, plus with names like Sammy Omosigho and Lewis Carter starting to emerge, the opportunities for Near appeared to vanish.
Now, the former D-II standout will look to contribute elsewhere, and with his laundry list of intangibles, there should be no shortage of opportunities.
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