A former offensive lineman from Oklahoma has left the transfer portal and revealed his new destination.
After failing to secure a spot in the lineup during his initial four years at the University of Oklahoma, Nate Anderson, a fourth-year junior offensive lineman, has opted to explore better opportunities a few hours south of Norman.
In an announcement on Monday, Anderson revealed his decision to transfer to SMU, a move that takes him back to his hometown in the Dallas Metroplex, with two years of eligibility remaining. Despite hailing from the Dallas suburb of Frisco, TX, where he excelled at Reedy High School, Anderson struggled to make an impact with the Sooners.
Having redshirted in 2020 and experiencing no game action in 2021, Anderson saw limited playtime as a third-year sophomore in 2022, participating in 36 snaps across four games. His role shifted to special teams in 2023, where he played in all 12 games, accumulating 109 special teams snaps primarily in the field goal and extra point unit. Additionally, he had brief appearances on offense in two games against Arkansas State and Tulsa.
Standing at 6 feet 4 inches and weighing 305 pounds, Anderson could have potentially contributed more on offense for the Sooners in 2024, considering the team’s need to replace the entire starting offensive line. However, seniors Walter Rouse and McKade Mettauer graduated, and others chose to declare for the NFL Draft or unexpectedly entered the transfer portal.
With the offensive line being entirely rebuilt for the Sooners next year, Anderson sees a more promising path to playing time under the coaching of Rhett Lashlee at SMU in 2024.
During his high school career, Anderson, an Under Armour All-American and a consensus 4-star prospect, was highly rated, being ranked as the No. 66 recruit in the nation (No. 2 among offensive guards) by 247 Sports, No. 67 by ESPN, and No. 169 by Rivals. Originally choosing Oklahoma over schools like Baylor, TCU, USC, and others, Anderson is now poised for a fresh start with the Mustangs.
