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After landing former SMU center Branson Hickman on Sunday afternoon, the Sooners added another veteran out of the transfer portal just one day later.
On Monday afternoon, former Louisville and Arizona State defensive lineman Jermayne Lole announced that he has committed to Oklahoma out of the transfer portal.
Lole will enter his seventh year as a college football player in 2024, missing all of the 2021 season at Arizona State and appearing in just two games in 2022 at Louisville before suffering a season-ending injury.
From 2020 to 2022, Lole appeared in just six games, missing time with various injuries.
The veteran defensive lineman played in 12 games during the Cardinals 2023 campaign, however, logging 411 snaps, the second-most in a season for his entire career. Lole tallied five tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and two pass breakups in his final year at Louisville, earning a 69.1 defensive grade from Pro Football Focus for his efforts.
In his career, Lole has appeared in at least 10 games three separate seasons. As a freshman in 2018, the Long Beach, CA, product played in 10 games before having a breakout season in 2019. As a sophomore, Lole racked up 10 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks while playing for the Sun Devils.
The former 4-star recruit received a 75.3 defensive grade from PFF in 2019, playing 737 snaps as an interior defensive lineman.
Lole is a huge addition for Todd Bates and company, who desperately needed to add size and experience on the interior as the Sooners head into the SEC. Prior to Lole’s commitment, OU had just one defensive player listed above 300 pounds on its roster.
While Oklahoma has promising young players like junior Gracen Halton, true freshman David Stone and fellow early enrollee Jayden Jackson in the trenches, the team is lacking experience in the middle of its defensive line after veteran Jacob Lacey was forced to medically retire over the offseason.
With Da’Jon Terry and Lole now fortifying the interior, the Sooners won’t have to rely as heavily on inexperienced players as they head into one of the most physical conferences in college football. Halton, Stone and Jackson will likely still see the field, but can operate as rotation players rather than being the centerpieces of OU’s defensive front, allowing the younger, lighter d-lineman to get acclimated to life in the SEC.
Lole’s pledge comes just two days after the veteran was in Norman for Oklahoma’s spring game with a few other transfer portal targets. The former Louisville and Arizona State defender is the third player to commit to the Sooners since Saturday’s Red/White Game, joining former SMU center Branson Hickman and coveted 2027 edge rusher Zane Rowe.
Jermayne Lole, a former Louisville defensive tackle, commits to the Oklahoma Sooners out of the transfer portal
Another major addition has been secured for the Oklahoma Sooners out of the transfer portal. Former Louisville defensive tackle Jermayne Lole has announced his decision to commit to OU and join the program ahead of its move to the Southeastern Conference.
Lole features a three-star transfer ranking from the 247Sports Network, graded at an 86 overall. He is a seventh-year senior with one year of eligibility remaining. After visiting OU for its spring game, Lole chooses to close his career at Oklahoma over Washington, Texas A&M and USC.
In 2023, Lole appeared in 12 games and started nine contests for the Cardinals. He finished with 19 tackles, including five for a loss and 1.5 sacks, while also logging a QB hurry and a pair of pass breakups. Lole joined the U of L program late prior to the 2022 season, committing to the Cardinals in late May. He arrived during the summer and at the time had to work himself into shape. At the time of his commitment, Lole was the No. 2 prospect available in the transfer portal, according to 247Sports.
In a season-opening 31-7 loss to Syracuse, Lole was the backup to defensive lineman Dez Tell. Lole played 25 snaps and graded out as a top-six player on the defensive side of the ball for Louisville, according to Pro Football Focus. But he was injured late in the game and never played the rest of the year, sitting out the remainder of the 2022 season.
Prior to his time at Louisville, Lole started his college career at Arizona State. In three seasons with the Sun Devils, Lole was a productive interior pass rusher, totaling 123 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, 11 sacks and eight pass breakups.
Lole, who announced on January 19 of this year that he was planning to return to Louisville for another season, had gone through a bit of spring practice with the Cardinals. However, he eventually opted to transfer and quickly became a coveted player in the portal.
Oklahoma joins the SEC in July and in preparation of the transition, the Sooners have poured a ton of focus into improving the defensive line of scrimmage. That goal has been relatively accomplished to this point, Lole bolstering what’s already a strong group of defensive tackles.
Oklahoma joins the SEC in July and in preparation of the transition, the Sooners have poured a ton of focus into improving the defensive line of scrimmage. That goal has been relatively accomplished to this point, Lole bolstering what’s already a strong group of defensive tackles.
Oklahoma heads into the SEC with a proven front-liner in Da’Jon Terry, a rising talent in Gracen Halton, two true freshmen nationally renowned in David Stone and Jayden Jackson, plus greater depth in Davon Sears or Ashton Sanders. But the room suffered a huge loss as one of the best and most experienced among the defensive tackle in Jacob Lacey was forced to medically retire after a blood clot issue reemerged. While Lacey is still around the program, helping out where he can, the replacement of his production was going to be a tall task. That’s where Lole could step in.
Lole could easily compete for plenty of playing time and might even be able to earn the starting role vacated by Lacey. It’s likely a big reason why OU and Lole ended up seeing a fit. The defensive tackles at Oklahoma are clearly talented, but it’s a younger group that could use another player at the position with collegiate experience. Lole provides that and more, to say the least.
