ASU football lands 5-star Oklahoma EDGE Clayton Smith in transfer portal

Oklahoma Sooners running back Jaden Knowles #25 breaks a tackle from Sooners outside linebacker Clayton Smith #20 to score a touchdown during the team’s spring game at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on April 24, 2021 in Norman, Oklahoma . (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

(Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

Former Oklahoma Sooners EDGE Clayton Smith announced his transfer to Arizona State on Thursday.

Let’s do it #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/9hCXzOwkqp

— CA$ 💫 (@claytonsmith_10) January 19, 2023

Smith was a five-star recruit by Rivals and a four-star prospect by 247Sports and ESPN, making him the highest-rated player to transfer to ASU through the portal.

Arizona narrowly missed recruiting another five-star recruit to EDGE Anthony Lucas on Jan. 11, but the Scottsdale Chapparal High School graduate opted to move from Texas A&M to USC instead of staying home.

The 6-foot-4, 245-pound redshirt sophomore will have three years of eligibility as he joins a Sun Devil football program that is now under new management with head coach Kenny Dillingham at the rod.

In seven career games over the past two seasons at Oklahoma, Smith has racked up eight tackles (four solo and four assisted) and 1.5 tackles for loss to go with a fumble recovery.

Smith is the 25th division I transferred to enter the portal and choose to join Dillingham and Co. in Tempe this offseason.

And when it comes to high-caliber rushers, new defensive coordinator Brian Ward will coach a slew of talented people for the very first time.

The five-star Smith joins four-star transfer from Texas Prince Dorbah, true four-star rookie Ashley Williams and Elijah O’Neal, who was ranked the No. 3 JUCO edge rusher by 247 Sports.

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