True freshmen are getting a different kind of runway now at Oklahoma State.
With the NCAA’s new age-based eligibility setup - the “five-for-five” model - redshirts are no longer the automatic safety net they used to be. For first-year Cowboys, that changes the math.
If they’re ready, they can play. If they earn it, Eric Morris can put them on the field as a starter or backup without worrying about burning a year.
That’s why the first two weeks of fall workouts have mattered so much for Oklahoma State’s incoming class. Morris and his staff are already sorting through who can help now, and three freshmen are starting to separate themselves as the most game-ready options.
One of the clearest candidates is Jones, the most productive prep player in Morris’ Class of 2026 group. The running back’s résumé is impossible to miss.
At Jenks, he set school records for rushing yards with 4,742, all-purpose yards with 5,798, rushing touchdowns with 67 and total touchdowns. Morris has said he wants to use four or five backs to help take some of the pressure off starter Caleb Hawkins, and Jones has the production and talent to push for a spot in that rotation right away.
Thornton brings a different kind of value, but the case is just as strong. The La Vega High School product in Waco, Texas, has already impressed Morris with how fast he has absorbed the offense. He isn’t being projected as a starter, but there’s a real path for him to carve out snaps in the rotation and help in the return game.
His final two high school seasons were loaded. Thornton posted back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving years, including 83 catches for 1,176 yards and 16 touchdowns as a senior.
The year before, he hauled in 76 passes for 1,367 yards and 15 touchdowns, and he added two kickoff return touchdowns that season as well. That kind of production points to a freshman who could settle into 10-15 plays per game and handle work on all four special teams units.
Then there’s Standard, who didn’t arrive until the summer but has still made a strong early impression. The Goodyear, Ariz., native stands 6-4, and that size has jumped out to Morris.
The only receiver taller on the roster is Justin Bowick, who is 6-5 and expected to start. Even without the spring head start most freshmen had, Standard has picked up the offense quickly enough to stand out.
His senior season was limited to six games, but he made the most of them with 23 catches and 10 touchdowns. He gives Oklahoma State a big red-zone target and also brings special teams value, with kick return experience and a background in basketball that shows up when the ball is in the air.
He was also a triple jumper in high school. Like Thornton, he could find a role sooner rather than later, especially in packages that lean on Bowick’s size and on multiple special teams units.
In Other News...
Oklahoma State Still Faces One Big NIL Problem In The Big 12
Oklahoma State enters 2026 with a football NIL picture that looks solid enough inside the Big 12, but still short of the leagues biggest spender. According to data from NIL-NCAA.com, the Cowboys are projected at $22.1 million, a figure that places them among the conferences top six and keeps them in a competitive range with most of their peers.
The challenge, of course, is the team sitting at the top of that financial ladder. Texas Tech is estimated at $33.3 million, creating a sizable gap that still matters in a conference where roster building is increasingly tied to resources. Oklahoma State has room to make up ground if on-field success and NIL support continue to grow, but for now the conferences spending race still has one clear front-runner. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State Camp Could Create A Roster Problem Eric Morris Must Manage
Fall camp in Stillwater has already taken on the feel of a roster reset under new coach Eric Morris, with Oklahoma State trying to move on from a rough stretch and a wave of nearly 90 transfers. Morris is sorting through a bigger-than-usual group without the cushion of redshirting, which changes the math for a lot of players who might otherwise have been able to sit, develop and wait their turn.
For a few of those Cowboys, the early weeks of camp are about more than depth-chart status. When reps get scarce and patience gets tested, the transfer portal becomes the obvious escape hatch, and how Morris handles that pressure could matter long after camp ends. The Cowboys need this season to do more than just start the rebuilding process - they also need it to show potential additions that Oklahoma State can still be a place worth choosing. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State Still Has A Few Big Lineup Decisions To Make
Oklahoma State is getting closer to sorting out its first depth chart as the Cowboys close in on the season opener against Tulsa, and recent scrimmages have started to separate the obvious spots from the open ones. Head coach Eric Morris is expected to offer another update soon, with running back and parts of the offensive line looking more settled than they did a few weeks ago.
The defense, though, still has a few more questions hanging over it, and the staff has been clear that rotations will be part of the plan rather than a quick rush to name every starter. There is also still a race up front on the offensive line and a receiver situation that appears to be trending in one direction, but the final call there has not been made public yet. [Read more 🡒]