EA Sports’ College Football 27 is almost here, and with the full ratings now out ahead of the July 9 worldwide launch, Oklahoma State’s roster gives us a pretty clear picture of who the game thinks can fly, who can bully people, and who already looks like a problem.
The Cowboys’ top-end talent shows up in a few obvious places. Caleb Hawkins leads the team at running back with a 91 overall, Wyatt Young is right behind him among the wideouts at 90, and Drew Mestemaker sits atop the quarterback room at 89. On the defensive side, Mo Horn is the highest-rated corner at 86, while James Williams leads the edge group at 84.
The highest-rated player at each spot paints a good snapshot of the roster turnover, too, with transfers filling a lot of the key roles. Hawkins, Mestemaker, Young, Donovan Green at tight end, Braydon Nelson at left tackle, Jacob Sexton at left guard, Tyler Mercer at center, Johnny Dickson III at right guard, Joseph Hanson at right tackle, James Williams at REDGE, Braylon Rigsby at LEDGE, Jerry Lawson at defensive tackle, Ethan Wesloski at WILL, Isaiah Chisom at MIKE, Bodnar at free safety, Evan Jackson at strong safety, Sam Keltner at kicker and Lachie Pozzobon at punter all show up as the top-rated options at their positions.
Speed is where the Cowboys really start to pop. Six players are tied for the team lead with a 91 speed rating: Hawkins, Chris Barnes, Miles Coleman, Mo Horn, Trudell Berry and Vincent Holmes.
Coleman and Horn also share the best acceleration mark in that group at 94, which means they get to that top gear quicker than the rest. Barnes might not stay where he is for long, either, since the expectation is that his numbers could climb once he has more film.
Strength tells a different story. Sexton owns the team’s best mark there at 95, and Ashton Lepo is right behind him at 93. On the defensive side, Lawson is the strongest player on the roster with an 88 strength rating.
There’s also a freshman worth noting. Jenks running back KD Jones is the highest-rated true freshman on the team at 75 overall, and his athletic numbers jump off the page: 89 speed, 93 acceleration, 87 agility and 87 change of direction.
Across the Big 12, the 90-overall club is a pretty exclusive group, and Oklahoma State has two names in it. Hawkins checks in at 91, while Young lands at 90.
The rest of that tier is loaded with familiar conference standouts, including Brice Pollock of Texas Tech at 93, Evan Tenesdahl of Cincinnati at 93, Shadre Hurst of Houston at 93, A.J. Holmes Jr. of Texas Tech at 92, LJ Martin of BYU at 92, Sheridan Wilson of Texas Tech at 92, Terrance Carter Jr. of Texas Tech at 92, Austin Romaine of Texas Tech at 91, Bruce Mitchell of BYU at 91, Cam Cook of West Virginia at 91, Danny Scudero of Colorado at 91, Amare Thomas of Houston at 90, Evan Johnson of BYU at 90, Faletau Satuala of BYU at 90, Howard Sampson of Texas Tech at 90, Jamel Johnson of TCU at 90, Noah Fifita of Arizona at 90 and Trey White of Texas Tech at 90.
In Other News...
Oklahomas Once Historic Recruiting Run Is Suddenly Under Real Pressure
Oklahomas 2027 recruiting class looked like it was building toward something special not long ago, thanks to an early wave of commitments and a strong June that kept the Sooners near the top of the major rankings. But the momentum has cooled in a hurry, and the class has slipped to No. 6 as other programs have surged past after landing key prospects.
That drop leaves Oklahoma in unfamiliar territory for a program that has long treated elite recruiting finishes as the standard, not the goal. The Sooners still have room to climb with more decisions on the horizon, including a few targets who could reshape the class in short order, but they are now staring at the possibility of finishing outside the top 5 for the first time since 2010. [Read more 🡒]
Sam Bradford Is Now Tied To Oklahomas Biggest 2025 Question
Sam Bradford has quietly become part of one of Oklahomas biggest offseason storylines, lending his eye and experience to John Mateer as the quarterback gets ready for his second season in Norman. The former Sooners star and 2008 Heisman Trophy winner has been working with Mateer in the film room, a fitting role for a player whose own career was built on timing, accuracy and command.
For Oklahoma, the appeal is obvious. Mateers first season had its rough edges, and the Sooners are looking for cleaner decisions and sharper execution from the position this fall. Bradfords involvement gives the program an extra layer of credibility, and it also says something about how seriously the next step for Mateer is being taken, even if the full impact of that work will not be known until the games start. [Read more 🡒]
One Hidden Concern Could Change Everything For Oklahoma's Defensive Line
Oklahomas defensive line was one of the SECs most disruptive groups in 2025, finishing among the nations best and producing nine players with multiple sacks. The Sooners should still have a strong foundation up front with juniors David Stone and Jayden Jackson back in the fold, while Taylor Wein and others continue to compete for starting jobs, giving Brent Venables plenty of talent to work with again.
The one spot that could shape how far that unit goes is the depth at defensive tackle, where departures and transfers have left less certainty behind the starters. Trent Wilson and Nigel Smith II are still trying to establish themselves after limited action, and transfer Bishop Thomas arrives with a winding college path that includes stops at Florida State, Colorado and Georgia State, making the interior rotation a spot worth watching as Oklahoma sorts out its next wave of contributors. [Read more 🡒]