OU addressed a dire area of improvement in the offseason by enhancing the tight end room after its leading performer in 2025, Jaren Kanak, was a convert from linebacker.
The Sooners brought in former Dallas Cowboy Jason Witten to lead the group, along with recruiting senior Rocky Beers, junior Hayden Hansen and freshman Jack Van Dorselaer from the transfer portal. Witten played in the NFL at tight end for 17 years — 16 as a Dallas Cowboy — and recorded 13,406 receiving yards throughout his career.
Witten was the head coach of Liberty High School for five seasons following the end of his NFL career before he decided to take the step up to impact college players.
“It wasn’t lost on me of the impact you can have on young men, young men off the field,” Witten said during OU football’s media day. “I was always intrigued by, at college (at) 18 to 23 years old, it’s pivotal years in their life, and to be able to be a positive influence in them, in their lives, is something I’m really excited about. And … I aligned with (head coach Brent Venables’) vision.”
Venables added that he was impressed by Witten’s commitment and loyalty as a player and that he has long felt an “alignment” with him as well. Venables first used the term, alignment, as a Sooner coach during his introductory press conference in 2021, which often represents when the president, athletic director and the head coach of a university are all on the same page. Witten and Venables see the term as an accurate description of their partnership as well.
“He had one of the best professional careers in the history of the NFL. Who hangs around the NFL for 17-plus years? You don’t do that by accident,” Venables said. “You got to have something to you. You got to be talented. You have to have amazing durability, the training, the commitment, the sacrifice, the desire.” “He wasn’t chasing money; he’s chasing purpose. … I’d been around him several times prior to it ever getting to ‘I need to offer you the tight ends job,’ and there was an alignment.”
Witten praised Hansen and Beers’ maturity, who have each played three seasons of college football with Hansen’s all coming in the Southeastern Conference.
Hansen, who transferred from Florida, has recorded 611 receiving yards and five touchdowns during his college career, including 254 and five in 2025. Beers, brother of OU women’s basketball center Raegan Beers, played two years at Florida International University and one at Colorado State before OU. The former Colorado State tight end has put up 572 receiving yards and nine touchdowns across his college career, including 388 and seven last season.
“It’s just a really great room,” Witten said. “I think you start with Hayden Hansen; he’s played a lot of ball in this league, smart. He’s tough. (We’ve) got a great work ethic and approach from Rocky Beers, now also in his fifth year. He’s got an amazing story and journey to get here.”
Hansen sees himself as a physical, all-around tight end and takes pride in having started in all of Florida’s games the past two seasons.
“I just crown myself as a traditional wide tight end, kind of like how Witten had his game,” Hansen said. “I’m a guy that likes to get his hands down and get dirty. … I could do it all, If you go back and watch the Florida team. I played every snap. … I feel like that’s why they brought me here — bring that intensity back in the tight end room.”
Hansen looks forward to helping the Sooners grow their run game in addition to the air offense after they ranked No. 104 in rushing yards per game in 2025. He feels that a tight end is an “unsung hero” in the run game, helping block to create space for the running backs to flourish.
“People forget how important tight ends are to the run game,” Hansen said. “I take a lot of pride in the run game.”
Beers added that, as the tight ends have been working to improve in blocking and receiving, Witten will join drills with them.
“He’s intense,” Beers said. “He’s still got all the youthful energy that you’d imagine.”
As the tight ends continue to learn from Witten, they strive to meet the high standards that his playing career and OU’s past success set.
“Where it’s a big stage, there’s high expectations. The standard is the standard, and we know what that is here, …” Witten said. “They work the right way, and you give yourself a chance by doing that.”