Oklahoma State’s linebacker room enters fall camp with a rare mix of numbers, experience and uncertainty.
Under defensive coordinator Skyler Cassity’s 4-2-5 setup, only two linebackers are on the field at a time, which keeps the starting picture narrow even if the rotation behind it can get crowded. The Cowboys may not have their top two spots fully locked in yet, but there’s a strong chance the leading pair will be in place by Sept. 5 against Tulsa. What happens between now and then will go a long way toward shaping the defense.
The depth chart is built around 11 linebackers, so the group should have enough bodies to avoid being stretched thin unless injuries pile up. Eight of those players arrived as transfers, and nine are juniors or older, giving the room a veteran feel. The lone freshman is Beau Wendel of Midlothian, Texas, and he should get a manageable introduction to the college game.
At the top, Oklahoma State has two experienced options in Ethan Wesloski and Tate Romney. Wesloski posted the best season of his career in this defense last year at North Texas and is expected to handle the same role again. Romney came over from Arizona State, where injuries have been a recurring issue, but when he has been healthy, he has shown he can play and produce.
The competition underneath them could be just as interesting. Isaiah Chisom, who spent time at Oregon State and UCLA, is one to watch after an 84-tackle season at UCLA.
Tulane transfer Dallas Winner-Johnson also brings a strong résumé, having played for winning teams and reached the College Football Playoff last season. Chisom could make a push on Romney, while Winner-Johnson adds another experienced body to the mix.
There are also opportunities for the returnees, including Trip White and Gunnar Wilson. White transferred in from Ole Miss, played in 12 games, and finished with 33 tackles, but he never cracked the starting lineup on a one-win team. Wilson has been around the program for two years, redshirted in 2024, and appeared in nine games last season, though he recorded only three tackles.
Health will matter here, especially with Romney’s injury history at Arizona State and BYU. The room has numbers, but not every player in it has a long track record of heavy FBS production.
If White and Wilson keep moving forward and the staff gets real development out of the group, the whole defense benefits. If Romney stays on the field, the ceiling rises even more.
In Other News...
One Oklahoma State Freshman Is Pushing For A Starting Role Fast
Eric Morris first recruiting class at Oklahoma State may not have included a four-star headliner, but it still arrived with enough talent to land inside the Top 50 nationally and No. 16 in the Big 12. The 20-player group gives the Cowboys a fresh wave of options, and while running back KD Jones is the classs highest-rated name, the early buzz around camp is pointing in another direction as the staff sorts out who can help right away.
Braeden Presley has emerged as the freshman most likely to force his way into the lineup quickly, thanks to his athleticism and the chance to compete immediately under the new eligibility rules. With opportunity in front of him and a roster spot that looks far from settled, Presley has a real opening to make the kind of first-year leap that can change the conversation around a recruiting class fast. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Fans Havent Forgotten How Arizona State Took Control
The last time Arizona State came to Stillwater, the Sun Devils didnt just leave with a win, they left a reminder that Kenny Dillinghams program had arrived faster than most expected. Dillingham took over in 2023 after a 3-9 season and guided Arizona State all the way to the Big 12 championship game in 2024, and the Cowboys saw plenty of that progress up close in a 42-21 loss on Nov. 2.
For Oklahoma State fans, what lingers is how the afternoon unfolded once the game settled in. The first half was competitive enough to suggest a fight, but Arizona State seized control after halftime and never really gave it back, with Sam Leavitt and Kam Skattebo helping tilt the field in the Sun Devils favor while Alan Bowman, Ollie Gordon II and the Cowboys were left chasing the game. [Read more 🡒]