Oklahoma State is only three practices into fall camp, but Eric Morris is already getting a clearer picture of where the battles are - and where they aren’t.
The Cowboys will ramp things up next week with five practices in a six-day stretch, capped by their first scrimmage Saturday at 11 a.m. Morris said he’s being deliberate with practice and game times as he prepares his team for the different television windows it will see during the season. That kind of planning matters to him, and so does the competition across the roster.
At quarterback, there hasn’t been much movement. Mestemaker has been one of the early standouts of camp, which lines up with what Morris said after the first workout: the race is basically behind him. Grant Jordan, a former Yale and UMass quarterback, looks like the primary backup, though freshman Broderick Vehrs could still make that decision interesting.
Running back is shaping up as one of the deepest spots on the team. Morris has made it clear Hawkins will be the workhorse, but he also sees at least four backs with a real role this season, including freshman KD Jones. That room is crowded, and that’s before camp even gets into its toughest stretch.
The receiver group still looks stable on the surface, but Morris has hinted at a rotation that will keep fresh legs on the field. Young, Barnes and Bowick all figure to need breathers in a fast-paced offense.
Among the names drawing attention are Rodney Harris II, the Ohio transfer, along with freshmen Jabarie Thompson and Dayvon Standard. Thompson has already climbed out of the “threes and fours,” while Standard, who joined OSU this summer and stands 6-4, could become a red zone option.
Tight end still feels like a two-man race between Hammond and Donovan Green. Morris has talked about five tight ends in camp, but more as a group with different skill sets than as a settled depth chart.
Hammond brings more of a receiving profile, while Green offers more versatility. The scrimmages, starting Saturday, should help separate them.
Up front, Morris wants answers soon. He said he’d like to have a clearer rotation of eight offensive linemen after the first scrimmage, and that timeline is now close.
Lepo is in the starting left tackle spot for the moment because Braydon Nelson’s injury status remains uncertain. Morris believes Nelson could be ready for the first couple of games, but there’s no reason to force it.
Nelson could also slide inside if needed.
Hanson and Sexton both bring position flexibility, and Morris specifically noted Hanson as a lineman who can move around. Sexton has already played guard and tackle.
At center, Sanders appears to have the best path to the job, though Tyler Mercer is in the mix. The line looks like a group that could keep shifting after the first scrimmage, especially with Morris and offensive line coach Cody Crill clearly valuing versatility.
On the edge, Morris hasn’t said much publicly, aside from moving Carl’veon Young from outside linebacker to defensive end to better use his athleticism. Based on what has been said so far, Johnson and Williams still seem to have the inside track.
Inside, the picture is a little clearer. Clements, who played at North Texas last year, and Lawson, who played for OSU defensive coordinator Skyler Cassity at Abilene Christian, appear to be the likely starters. But there are players pushing for snaps, including freshman Savion Barthelemy and Texas Tech transfer Braylon Rigsby, both three-technique tackles who could help create an inside pass rush.
At linebacker, the position group feels less locked in than it did before camp. Morris mentioned the competition there and also brought up transfers Tate Romney and Dallas Winner-Johnson. Still, based on production, Wesloski and Chisom look like the starters for now.
The cornerback picture points toward Fields and Horn. Morris said Fields “has the skill set to be great” but needs to turn that into more plays, while Horn’s experience - and his time playing Power Conference football - gives him an edge.
Behind them, Kobe Freeman, Kollin Lewis and Trudell Berry are names to keep an eye on.
Safety is another spot with some intrigue. Hammonds is back after an injury kept him out during the offseason, and Oklahoma State sees him as a better fit at free safety this year.
That shift opens the nickel spot for Bodnar, the Liberty transfer who has played both corner and safety in college. Jackson looks like the strong safety, though Morris said he still needs to turn flashes into consistent play.
There’s also real competition for snaps from Missouri transfer Mose Phillips III, while Cameron Epps and freshman Braeden Presley remain options in the rotation.
Special teams has already been sorted in part. Morris said on the first day of workouts that Lachie Pozzobon is the starting punter and Sam Keltner is the starting kicker. Nate Ost, listed as a punter but without a college punt attempt, is the likely holder.
And when it comes to gameday travel, the last five or six spots on the bus will come down, at least in part, to which backups can handle all four special teams units.
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Oklahoma State Defense Is Already Forcing A Different Kind Of Battle
Oklahoma State spent too much of 2025 chasing problems on defense, finishing near the bottom of the Big 12 in several key categories and leaving a lot for a new staff to sort through. With Eric Morris in place and Skyler Cassity taking over as defensive coordinator, fall camp has become less about fine-tuning and more about resetting the unit from the ground up, with personnel choices and scheme tweaks both part of the early push to change the look of that side of the ball.
Cassity is trying to do more than patch holes before the opener against Tulsa. The bigger task is creating real competition across the defense and finding players who can absorb the system quickly enough to make the whole thing work in time for September. That makes camp feel less like a depth chart exercise and more like a daily test, with the Cowboys still figuring out who can handle the first wave of assignments when the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]
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