Oklahoma State DB Willie Nelson announces plans to enter NCAA transfer portal

Oklahoma State defensive back Willie Nelson plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal, he announced Wednesday via X. He will have four years of eligibility remaining at his next stop.

Nelson was a true freshman this past season and did not record any stats as he took a redshirt year.

Nelson committed to the Cowboys as a three-star prospect out of Longview (TX) High School. He ranked as the No. 804 overall player and No. 81 cornerback in the 2024 cycle according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

“I’d like to take time to thank coach Gundy and the entire staff at Oklahoma State for the incredible opportunity to be a part of this program,” Nelson wrote in his post. “After much reflection and prayer, I’ve decided to enter my name into the transfer portal. I’m excited to see what God has in store for me as I embark on this new journey.”

Willie Nelson’s announcement comes on the same day it was revealed that Oklahoma State had fired defensive coordinator Bryan Nardo. He is the second defensive back to transfer as Lyrik Rawls also announced Wednesday that he plans to enter the portal.

Overall, the Cowboys have already seen four players state their intention to transfer. They can officially enter the portal when it opens on Dec. 9.

The transfer portal will remain open until Dec. 28, though players on teams still playing in the postseason will get an additional five-day window to enter the portal after their seasons end.

OSU is coming off of a 3-9 season and will have to prepare to be ready for the portal, both players leaving and looking at potential additions. The Cowboys brought in only eight transfers this past offseason as they returned many of their key players, but should be expect to be much more active ahead of 2025.

More than 2,800 FBS scholarship players entered their names into the NCAA’s transfer database during the 2023-24 school year. Removing those who withdrew or went pro, the final total sat at 2,707 transfers. That means roughly 25% of all FBS scholarship players hit free agency in one year.