Oklahoma State is only six practices into fall camp, but the first real checkpoints are already coming into focus. New head coach Eric Morris has spent plenty of time answering questions, though most of the answers at this stage are about who’s in the mix rather than who has actually locked things down.
That’s especially true on the edge. Morris hasn’t spent much time talking about the Cowboys’ pass rush, even as the defense has drawn most of the attention in camp.
Jaleel Johnson and Florida State transfer James Williams appear to be the front-runners there, and plenty of preseason publications have them penciled in as the starters. But there’s still a race going on.
North Texas transfer Keviyan Huddleston is in the mix, along with Malik Charles and DeSean Brown. Carl’Veon Brown, a converted outside linebacker, is the wild card.
The first scrimmage should start sorting out the order.
Left tackle is another spot that could come into sharper focus soon, especially with Braydon Nelson still working back from injury. Morris said last weekend the Cowboys are being “aggressive” with his return timeline, and he believes there’s a chance Nelson could be ready for the opener against Tulsa. He also isn’t concerned about the “mental reps,” since Nelson handled left tackle for him at North Texas last season.
If Nelson isn’t available, Oklahoma State will have to settle on another answer quickly. Morris has set his “deadline” for picking a Top 8 linemen at the first scrimmage, so the staff needs clarity fast.
The most likely options are Oklahoma transfer Jacob Sexton and Michigan State transfer Ashton Lepo. Both are big bodies, but Sexton is the one with the experience that could make the staff most comfortable on the edge.
Depth is another issue hovering over camp, and Morris gave a useful glimpse of where the roster stands when he said Saturday that the Cowboys are under the limit even without counting any DSAs. That leaves room to keep adding talent if the right players are available, including the kind of four-for-four players who could land in Stillwater if the Colorado injunction allows them.
The bigger concern is whether Oklahoma State has enough depth to survive injuries. They’re inevitable, but the number of them is impossible to predict.
Some spots already look thin: cornerback, with just six experienced players; tight end, where six players are listed but only two have the kind of experience that makes them realistic starter candidates; and quarterback, where an injury to Drew Mestemaker would leave the Cowboys with an Ivy League product and two true freshmen. On the other side of the ledger, running back, wide receiver, offensive line and linebacker all look strong in terms of depth.
The freshman class also looks different this year because of the new five-for-five rule. The setup is simple: players get five years to play five years, with no redshirts.
Morris likes that because it removes the old game of trying to figure out which four contests to use for freshman development before shelving them for the rest of the season. Now, he can just let them compete.
A few young players have already come up in his comments. Morris has mentioned wide receivers Jabarie Thornton and Dayvon Standard, along with running back KD Jones. Braeden Presley, the younger brother of former OSU wide receiver Brennan Presley, hasn’t been brought up yet, but he’s almost certain to surface before the opener.
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Oklahoma States Center Battle Could Shape How Smoothly This Offense Starts
Oklahoma State is using the final stretch of camp to sort out the kind of detail that can make or break an offense before the season even begins. Head coach Eric Morris said he wants to have the top eight offensive linemen identified by the end of Saturdays scrimmage, a goal that puts a spotlight on the middle of the line and the center battle that has been running through camp.
Tyler Mercer and Jakobe Sanders have been the names most tied to that spot, with the decision carrying obvious weight for how smoothly the offense can get started. Mercer has drawn the stronger look from Morris based on what he has already shown, and the head coachs comfort level with him makes the competition feel like it is moving in one direction, even if camp still has one more chance to settle it. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State's Drew Mestemaker Faces A Brutal Hype Test In 2026
CBS Sports latest look ahead to the 2026 college football season has already put Drew Mestemaker under a brighter spotlight than hes used to, and not for flattering reasons. The Oklahoma State quarterback was included on the outlets list of the top 150 players for next year, then landed in a conversation with NFL scouts and executives about which players near the top of that group are getting a little too much preseason buzz.
Mestemaker and Texas quarterback Arch Manning drew the most skepticism from evaluators, a reminder that hype can turn quickly once a player starts climbing into national conversation. For Oklahoma State, the bigger issue is less about labels than about perception, because Mestemakers next step is tied to a jump in competition and to whether he can prove his standing against a tougher stage. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma States Rebuilt Defense Has One Huge Camp Question Left
Oklahoma States defense is in a full reset under new coordinator Skyler Cassity, whose work at North Texas helped raise expectations for what he can do with a unit that is still looking for a clear identity. There is not a proven star carrying the group, but there is depth, and camp has been shaped by open competition as the staff tries to sort out who fits where in the new system.
Transfers Jeremiah Piper and Markeith Williams have settled in quickly and added to the sense that this defense may have more playable pieces than it first appeared to have. Even so, the biggest question is still hanging over camp as the weekend scrimmage approaches, because the staff has yet to lock down any defensive spot and is still evaluating how the new-look unit comes together. [Read more 🡒]