Oklahoma QB Nick Evers Entering Transfer Portal

The Sooners’ true freshman quarterback wants to have a chance “to truly compete.”
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For Oklahoma quarterback Nick Evers, one year was enough.

The Sooners' freshman QB announced Saturday via Twitter he will enter the transfer portal.

The 6-foot-3, 185-pound Evers, a 4-star prospect from Flower Mound, TX, committed to Brent Venables and Jeff Lebby last December after flipping from Florida. He was rated by Rivals as the No. 4 dual threat QB in the nation.

"Wearing the Crimson and Cream is a rare privilege as is to represent this great university," Evers wrote. "I'll forever be grateful to Coach Venables and the staff for the opportunity at Oklahoma. I'll miss my teammates and the OU family more than I can express.

"Also, thank you for this platform to help me raise money and awareness for the kids at Make-A-Wish! Sooner nation is a special community!"

Evers played in just one game for the Sooners in 2022, a late backup appearance against Texas, and went 0-for-1 passing.

Nick Evers warming up at Iowa State.
Nick Evers warming up at Iowa State :: John E. Hoover / AllSooners

“The ability to truly compete is all anyone can ask,” he wrote, “so I take with me the spirit of humbleness and growth over the past year in hopes to both showcase my ability and make even greater impacts both on and off the field.”

Evers' exit follows a day after walk-on Ralph Rucker's announcement to enter the portal. That leaves OU's quarterback depth with starter Dillon Gabriel, fourth-year junior backup Davis Beville and third-string juco transfer General Booty, plus former Penn State transfer and third-year sophomore Micah Bowens

Beyond that, the Sooners will be relying on 5-star recruit Jackson Arnold next year. The 6-1, 205-pound Arnold is ranked as the No. 4 high school quarterback in the nation and the No. 9 overall recruit by 247 Sports and has been firmly committed to OU since last January. 

Evers told AllSooners last year that he was sold on Lebby and Venables.

“I love them two,” Evers said. “They’re super big on relationships and having a family atmosphere. That’s ultimately something I was looking for in a coaching staff, someone that can make me feel like family to ‘em. And they’ve really embraced me.” 

The feeling was mutual.

“Man,” Lebby said, “this guy's going to be a special player. He's got a special skill set. He’s really good between the ears. And he cares.” 

In his final two high school seasons, Evers threw for nearly 5,000 yards and 44 touchdowns and rushed for 18 TDs, as well as 648 yards his senior year.

Said Evers, "I’ve made a few statements in the past that I’m not scared to get thrown into the fire. That’s really what I’ve been preparing for my whole high school career — really, my whole life. So I’m not scared of adversity.

"I think I fit that job perfectly. I’m just gonna keep on working, keep my head down, and once I do get that opportunity, once my name is called, I’ll be ready for it."


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John E. Hoover
JOHN E. HOOVER

John is an award-winning journalist whose work spans five decades in Oklahoma, with multiple state, regional and national awards as a sportswriter at various newspapers. During his newspaper career, John covered the Dallas Cowboys, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma State Cowboys, the Arkansas Razorbacks and much more. In 2016, John changed careers, migrating into radio and launching a YouTube channel, and has built a successful independent media company, DanCam Media. From there, John has written under the banners of Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Fan Nation and a handful of local and national magazines while hosting daily sports talk radio shows in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and statewide. John has also spoken on Capitol Hill in Oklahoma City in a successful effort to put more certified athletic trainers in Oklahoma public high schools. Among the dozens of awards he has won, John most cherishes his national "Beat Writer of the Year" from the Associated Press Sports Editors, Oklahoma's "Best Sports Column" from the Society of Professional Journalists, and Two "Excellence in Sports Medicine Reporting" Awards from the National Athletic Trainers Association. John holds a bachelor's degree in Mass Communications from East Central University in Ada, OK. Born and raised in North Pole, Alaska, John played football and wrote for the school paper at Ada High School in Ada, OK. He enjoys books, movies and travel, and lives in Broken Arrow, OK, with his wife and two kids.