Oklahoma State won’t just be under the microscope Saturday because of the opponent across the field. The Cowboys’ showdown with Oregon has turned into a full-blown NFL evaluation day, with scouts - and even a pair of general managers - expected to be in Stillwater for an early look at several draft-eligible names.
Per the Tulsa World, more than 20 NFL scouts have requested credentials for the 11 a.m. central kickoff on ESPN. The more eye-catching detail: the World also reported that two NFL general managers asked for access, too. That’s not the kind of traffic a game like this usually draws at the executive level, and it suggests certain players are getting a very close look.
Oregon’s roster is loaded with that kind of attention. Ducks quarterback Dante Moore is the headliner, and a recent ESPN first-round mock draft had him going No. 1 to Cleveland.
That same mock also included defensive tackle A’Mauri Washington at No. 17 to Jacksonville and tight end Jamari Johnson at No. 18 to Denver. Those were the only three Ducks in the mock, but they are not the only ones who belong in the first-round conversation this early.
Still, Oklahoma State quarterback Drew Mestemaker enters the spotlight for a different reason. Last week against Tulsa, his draft stock took a real hit after he threw two interceptions, fumbled once and completed fewer than 60% of his passes. Now he gets another swing at making a first impression, only this time against a power conference opponent.
There is enough on Mestemaker’s tape to keep scouts interested, but the next step is obvious: he has to handle pressure better, sharpen his accuracy and clean up the turnovers. Saturday doesn’t decide his future - he has two more years of college football ahead and doesn’t have to turn pro next spring - but a better showing would strengthen his options.
Mestemaker may be the name pulling the most draft buzz around OSU, but he’s not the only Cowboy drawing attention. Wide receiver Wyatt Young has at least one outlet seeing second-round value.
Pro Football Focus, which has a big board based on its overall player scores, ranks Young No. 51.
PFF also gave him its third-best receiving grade last season and described him as having the “ideal build and route running savvy to be an NFL slot receiver.”
Young already gave scouts something to note with eight catches against Tulsa. With so many NFL eyes on the game, Saturday gives him a chance to make an even louder statement.
In Other News...
Oklahoma State Must Fix One Major Problem Before Oregon Arrives
Oklahoma State has spent the week staring straight at the same problem that showed up in last weeks loss to Tulsa: getting enough heat on the quarterback. That issue gets a lot bigger with No. 6 Oregon coming to Stillwater on Saturday, because the Ducks do what dangerous passing teams always do - make a defense pay if the rush never arrives and the secondary has to hold up too long.
Dante Moore is back on the schedule, and the Cowboys know exactly what kind of challenge he brings to the matchup. Oklahoma States defense has to find a way to disrupt him early and slow Oregons passing game, or the Ducks could settle into the kind of rhythm that has already hurt the Cowboys once before. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State May Catch Oregon At The Worst Possible Time
Oregon is already carrying the look of a team with plenty of firepower, and the Ducks may get another piece back just in time for their meeting with Oklahoma State on ESPN. Wide receiver Dakorien Moore has been talking up Iverson Hooks growth and the kind of impact he can have, while Dan Lanning has sounded upbeat about the receivers availability after he sat out the season opener.
For the Cowboys, that timing matters. Oregon is favored going in, and adding another receiver into the mix only makes an already difficult assignment more complicated for an Oklahoma State defense that will have to sort out the Ducks passing game on the road. The matchup was tough enough already, but it looks like the Ducks might be getting healthier at exactly the wrong time for the Cowboys. [Read more 🡒]
Oregons Boise State Win Just Took On A Different Look
Oregons narrow win over Boise State already looked a little less tidy after the rankings settled, and the Ducks FPI slot reflects that. The more immediate concern for Oklahoma State, though, is how the matchup now looks from its own side after a Week 1 loss to Tulsa and a drop in the same metric, leaving the Cowboys trying to steady themselves before a visit from a top-10 opponent in a game that already carried plenty of attention.
Stillwaters challenge got tougher in the meantime, with the Cowboys dealing with a major hit up front after their starting left tackle was lost for the season. Oklahoma State also is still sorting through a roster with several new faces, including quarterback Drew Mestemaker, who arrived from North Texas with Eric Morris, and those moving parts will matter even more as the Cowboys try to reset quickly for Week 2. [Read more 🡒]