Oklahoma State’s Air Raid attack is built to keep the ball in the air, and that puts the spotlight on a crowded receiver room headlined by redshirt sophomore quarterback Drew Mestemaker.
The Cowboys have 14 wideouts on the roster, giving Mestemaker a deep group of targets to work with. Some already know him well from their time together at North Texas, including Wyatt Young, Miles Coleman and Terrence Lewis. Others bring power conference experience, such as Chris Barnes from Wake Forest and Justin Bowick from Illinois.
Head coach Eric Morris still made room for youth in the mix, bringing in three freshmen with an eye on the future. Two redshirt seniors are also on the roster, so development matters. And among that freshman trio, one late arrival has already stood out.
That player is Dayvon Standard, a 6-4 receiver from Desert Edge in Goodyear, Ariz. He did not enroll early, so he missed spring football and has only been with the Cowboys since summer workouts, strength and conditioning, and other organized team activities. Even with that head start missing, he’s already on Morris’ radar.
“I tell you the one guy that surprised me the most of our freshman class that came late is Dayvon [Standard], who came in from Arizona,” Morris said. “A six-four wide receiver. It wouldn't surprise me if he pushed himself into the rotation.”
The size jumps off the page in a room that doesn’t have many true towers. Bowick, at 6-5, is the tallest receiver on the roster.
Five others are listed at 6 feet or taller, but four of them are at least three inches shorter than Bowick. Standard is the one who comes closest to matching that length.
That makes him an intriguing fit for a possible red zone role. Bowick brings 4.3-4.4 speed and obvious value near the goal line because of his frame, and Standard could offer a similar kind of target if he earns snaps. In that setting, he could become the kind of receiver who helps on contested throws in the end zone or down the sideline, where his size matters most.
Standard also brings more than just reach. He played basketball and ran track, and his numbers in the jumps back up the athletic profile. He set his school record in the triple jump at 47-11 and posted a career-best 23-8.5 in the long jump.
His production at the prep level showed finishing ability, too. Standard had 23 catches last year, and 10 of them went for touchdowns. With Oklahoma State expected to throw plenty this season, that kind of scoring punch is exactly why Morris will be keeping a close eye on him as fall workouts unfold.
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Eric Morris Is Betting Oklahoma State's Reset Can End The Slide
Eric Morris spent media day putting a clear frame around Oklahoma States offseason overhaul, and it was hard to miss the scale of it. The Cowboys have brought in nearly 90 transfers along with a new freshman class, and Morris described the roster as a group of misfits, players arriving from all kinds of backgrounds but now trying to fit together fast. A few of the most familiar faces came with him from North Texas, giving the staff at least a small core to build around as fall practices begin.
For Oklahoma State, the urgency is obvious after a slide that has raised the pressure around the program, and the schedule will not offer much room for easing in. Tulsa, Oregon, Murray State and West Virginia are already on the slate, which means this reset has to start looking like a team in a hurry. The next question is whether all that turnover can turn into chemistry before the games start counting in earnest. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State Has A Camp Battle That Could Reshape The Offense
Fall camp is arriving with one of the more interesting position questions on Oklahoma States roster, and it sits at tight end. Head coach Eric Morris spent time outlining the group, pointing to the different backgrounds and skill sets the Cowboys have assembled there and making clear this is more than a one-man race. The appeal, from an offensive standpoint, is obvious: the room offers versatility, and Morris sees each player bringing something useful either in the passing game, as a blocker or on special teams.
What makes the battle worth watching is how open it remains. Morris did not point to a settled answer, which leaves the Cowboys with a genuine competition heading into camp rather than a depth chart already written in ink. Hammond, Green, McFaul, Boydstun and Kolb all have a path to contributing, and the way that group sorts itself out could shape how often Oklahoma State leans on the tight end and what kind of flexibility the offense can build around the position. [Read more 🡒]