Oklahoma Transfer Jackson Arnold’s Inclination Revealed Amid 2 SEC Powerhouses’ Relentless Pursuit

Jackson Arnold, once a highly touted five-star recruit, finds himself exploring new opportunities to refresh his career after entering the transfer portal. The former Oklahoma Sooners quarterback, who was said to be leading the team into the SEC, has reportedly planned visits to his future school. So which teams are on the line? Auburn, Georgia, or Mississippi State? Currently, everyone is vying for this dude’s attention because everyone has their reasons.

Meanwhile,

on the recent episode of the On3 Recruits, Josh Newberg pointed out the QB’s next move. “I’m going to highlight the former five stars that are now available in the portal. Yeah, coming out of high school, they were five stars, but now they’re transferring. There are 11 total that I counted in the transfer portal. Only one of them currently is committed, so we’re going to recap them all. Let’s start with quarterback Jackson Arnold, the redshirt freshman in Oklahoma. He waited one season behind Dillon Gabriel before he got his start. The number four quarterback coming out of high school, number eight overall. Remember it from Denton, Texas, signed with Oklahoma. Well, now he’s on the move, Pete Naco, and Steve Wiltfong, they’re projecting Mississippi State. We’ll see what happens. Can Auburn get involved? Georgia? You will see where Jackson Arnold lands up next.”

Furthermore, as per another On3 recruit, Steve Wiltfong, Jackson Arnold is all set to visit the Auburn Tigers this Friday. The Tigers need him as they are facing a critical moment right now after losing Hank Brown, Holden Gernier, and Patrick Thorne. With two years of eligibility left, Jackson could help Huge Freeze stabilize the situation. Meanwhile, there are other teams also in this race.

Mississippi State also stands a chance due to the strong connection Arnold has with Bulldog’s head coach, Jeff Lebby. Lebby, who recruited Arnold when he was Oklahoma’s offensive coordinator, can play a part in Arnold’s decision. With freshman quarterback Michael van Buren also entering the portal, Mississippi State needs to fill the vacant space left by him.

On the other hand, Georgia is currently in the college football playoff and reports are suggesting their interest in Arnold. However, the performance of Gunnar Stockton, who took Carson Beck’s position, could play a part in the Bulldogs’ pursuit of Arnold. Here’s the catch: if Stockton slays, Georgia might back off, but if he struggles, Arnold could fix their QB situation. Meanwhile, why is Jackson leaving the Sooners?

What went wrong for Jackson Arnold at Oklahoma?

Arnold’s season at Oklahoma didn’t go as he’d hoped. He started the year as the starting quarterback but was benched midseason in favor of Michael Hawkins Jr. after a rough stretch. According to John Williams of Sooners Wire, the 2024 season “didn’t go as planned for the Oklahoma Sooners on the offensive side of the ball.”

Injuries at wide receiver and along the offensive line, along with the lack of experience and talent on offense, really hurt the team’s performance. Despite having a mixed season, Arnold finished the year with 1421 passing yards, 12 touchdowns, and just three interceptions, along with 444 rushing yards and three touchdowns.

Arnold was left to try to pick up the pieces, but it wasn’t easy. “It was a rough season for the former Gatorade National Player of the Year, who struggled with turnovers and, at times, indecision as a passer.” He was benched in the first half of the Tennessee loss after three turnovers.

Arnold regained his starting spot after a strong performance against South Carolina but could never get back into a rhythm as a passer. His season did include some high points, like passing for over 200 yards twice and rushing for over 100 yards in the big win against Alabama, but the struggles on offense overall held him back from showing his full potential.