Sports

Oklahoma Football Star Refutes Rumors Surrounding Transfer After Unexplained Midseason Exit

#College Football
by
Jayden Gibson / Oklahoma Sooners

© BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK


Oklahoma football player Jayden Gibson is leaving Norman after three seasons on campus. His intention to enter the transfer portal has been widely known since October.

The wide receiver left the team in the middle of the 2025 campaign, though no reason was given by the coaching staff. He’s attempted to clarify his departure from the Sooners with online rumors circulating.

Who is Jayden Gibson?

The Florida native was a four-star prospect in the 2022 recruiting cycle and rated as a Top 200 player regardless of position. The wideout took official visits to Oklahoma, Miami, and Baylor before signing with the Sooners.

Gibson boasts size and speed. He stands 6-foot-6, giving him the ability to go up and make a contested catch. He can also beat you in a footrace.

The pass catcher is a big play waiting to happen, evidenced by his 26.8 yard per catch average as a sophomore. Five of his 15 career catches have gone for touchdowns.

Gibson played two seasons with the Sooners in ’22 and ’23. He totaled 387 yards, with all but 12 coming in his second campaign.

Injuries, unfortunately, derailed his progress heading into Year 3.

The wide receiver tore his patellar tendon just before the season started. The knee injury kept him sidelined for all of 2024.

He looked to make his return to the field in ’25, but an offseason setback in spring practice extended that timeline. In October, head coach Brent Venables revealed that he was no longer with the team.

He did not, however, go into detail on what led to the exit.

The WR will transfer to South Carolina.

Gibson has not played a college football game since 2023. He looks to make his comeback in 2026, albeit, in a new uniform.

He announced the decision three days into the early transfer window. The Gamecocks hope he can return to full health and provide a much-needed big play threat to boost the offense.

Rumors quickly circulated surrounding his transfer news given the unexplained nature of his breakup with the Sooners.

Some speculated that the move was money motivated. Others suggested off-field issues led to his departure from Oklahoma.

He’s rejected both insinuations to clarify his reasoning.

Jayden Gibson says injuries are the only reason he left the Sooners. Any other information being spread is false.

Whatever the case, he intends to play football at SEC rival South Carolina in the coming season. His return to the field will be a storyline to watch in 2026.