Oklahoma State’s freshman class is already forcing its way into the conversation in fall camp, and that’s not usually the kind of thing you expect to hear after a program goes 1-11.
But this is a different setup in Stillwater. Eric Morris has overhauled the roster, only a small group of players is back from last year’s team, and that has created openings all over the field.
With the new age-based eligibility rule - the so-called “five-for-five” - there’s no need to stash freshmen just to preserve a redshirt. If they can help, they’ll play.
After four workouts, three true freshmen have stood out enough to earn mention from Morris and could end up with bigger roles than anyone might have projected a few weeks ago.
One of them is running back KD Jones, and his presence around the offense makes sense. He arrived with a strong reputation and a pile of production from Jenks (Okla.) High School, where he set program records for rushing yards (4,742), all-purpose yards (5,798), rushing touchdowns (67) and total touchdowns.
Even with Caleb Hawkins - a sophomore - sitting as the clear starter, Morris is already looking for ways to get Jones involved.
“When you look at a young guy in KD that's shown some explosion and he's matured a lot during this time,” Morris said of the early enrollee.
At 5-11, 186 pounds, Jones could fit as a change-of-pace option or a receiver out of the backfield when Oklahoma State gets into obvious passing situations.
Wide receiver Darrion Standard is also making noise early. The Goodyear, Ariz., product chose not to enroll early and finished his senior season at Desert Edge High School, but Morris has been impressed by how quickly he’s absorbed the offense. At 6-4 and 185 pounds, Standard gives the Cowboys a big target, and Morris said he could work his way into the mix as a red-zone option.
“A six-four wide receiver. It wouldn't surprise me if he pushed himself into the rotation,” Morris said.
That kind of frame matters in an Air Raid system, especially when a player can be used in a limited package and still create problems in jump-ball situations. Of Oklahoma State’s receivers, only Justin Bowick is taller at 6-5.
The other freshman drawing attention is receiver Thornton, a La Vega High product from Waco, Texas, who has already climbed from the lower groups into work with the top units. The Cowboys have 14 wide receivers in camp, and while Wyatt Young, Chris Barnes and Bowick appear to be the leading candidates to start, Thornton has been one of the early camp risers.
“I think's he continuing to improve,” Morris said. “You know, he's moved kind of from the threes and fours and getting some reps up with the ones and twos right now.”
Thornton was a productive high school player, putting together back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and catching 83 passes in 2025. He also brings special teams value, with the ability to return kicks. At La Vega, he brought two kickoffs back for touchdowns, which gives him another avenue to earn snaps right away.
In Other News...
Oklahoma State Is Sending A Clear Big 12 Message With NIL Spending
Oklahoma States latest roster move says plenty about where the program sees itself in the Big 12 race. An ESPN report on estimated NIL payments put a spotlight on the Cowboys push to stay aggressive in the transfer market, with quarterback Drew Mestemaker landing a significant deal after coming over from North Texas. It also pointed to added investment in players such as Wyatt Young and Caleb Hawkins, a sign that the staff is not treating roster building like a wait-and-see exercise.
For a program trying to keep pace in a conference that keeps getting deeper, the message is clear: spending is part of the plan now. Under new head coach Eric Morris, Oklahoma State appears intent on using NIL to supplement the kind of talent upgrades that can matter in a hurry, especially at quarterback, where the position often defines whether a team can hang around in the Big 12. The real question is how far that willingness to pay can carry the Cowboys once the games start and the rest of the league responds in kind. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State Is Leaning On Program Legends To Spark This New Team
Eric Morris has been looking for ways to connect this new Oklahoma State group with the standard that came before it, and inviting program figures Brandon Weeden and Terry Brown to a recent practice fit that approach. Both former Cowboys came away impressed by what they saw, pointing to the energy in the building and the way the current roster carried itself through the workout.
For a team trying to establish its identity before the games count, those kinds of outside checks can matter as much as any schematic tweak. Oklahoma State opens against Tulsa on Sept. 5, then gets Oregon at home a week later, and the early part of the schedule will quickly show whether that practice-field buzz translates once the lights come on. [Read more 🡒]