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Best of the Portal: Oklahoma Hoping For a Diamond in the Rough in RB Tawee Walker

Walker comes to the Sooners from the junior college ranks hoping to make an impact like other JUCO transfers in recent OU history.

Josh Callaway

The Oklahoma Sooners made a number of additions in the transfer portal this offseason. And while a few of those new players were on full display in last month’s spring game, AllSooners is taking a look back at each transfer’s top moments with their former team.

Beginning your collegiate career in the junior college ranks isn’t the easiest path to stardom - but it’s not an impossible one either.

Oklahoma fans know that very well, having had immense success with JUCO players just in recent history.

Looking purely offensively, the Sooners have turned players such as Dominique Whaley, Dede Westbrook and Rhamondre Stevenson, among others, into more than just serviceable college players - but legitimate playmakers.

That is now the goal with running back Tawee Walker, who came to the team from Palomar College back in early February.

Last season, Walker carried the ball 187 times for 895 yards with eight touchdowns. Now, he hopes to add some of that production to an Oklahoma running back room that is fairly inexperienced.

While Eric Gray returns to the team after seeing lots of on-field action a year ago and Marcus Major appears primed to return to the swing of the things, the rest of the position is littered with true freshmen and walk-ons.

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Insert Walker, who had as strong of a showing as anyone in April’s spring game.

The 5-foot-9, 218-pounder ran for 52 yards on 13 carries and one touchdown while also hauling in two receptions for an additional 31 yards.

A hard runner who always seemed to get the best of his tackler, Walker seemed to capitalize on the opportunity presented before him with Major missing the game for injury and incoming highly-touted freshman Gavin Sawchuk not yet being with the team as a fall enrollee.

It’s hard to know at this point how significant of a role he might play this season, but it seems reasonable to believe Walker has a legitimate shot at playing time.

With Gray the apparent No. 1 option, it’s largely open behind him with lots of question marks.

If the Arizona native continues the momentum from his productive spring game into a good summer and fall camp, it could be a very interesting 2022 campaign for the JUCO transfer. 

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Josh Callaway
JOSH CALLAWAY

Josh has been with AllSooners since June of 2021 after spending the previous year with Sooners Wire via USA TODAY Sports. He is also a high school sports broadcaster for the Oklahoma Sports Network. You can follow him on Twitter at @JoshMCallaway.

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