National signing day is still months away, and Oklahoma State is already working both sides of the recruiting board. The Cowboys have to keep the 11 commitments they’ve already landed, but they’re also pressing for a few flips of their own.
That approach has them eyeing Odaefe Orunu, an Arkansas commit from Jenks, Okla. The interest makes sense.
Oklahoma State already has two offensive line pledges in Sonny Mullen of Troy, Texas, and Jake Baker of Ensworth in Nashville, Tenn., but both are viewed as tackles. Orunu, by contrast, is seen as an interior lineman, which is a spot the Cowboys don’t currently have covered.
The fit goes beyond position. Orunu would give Oklahoma State another in-state addition, and the Cowboys have already picked up three Oklahoma commitments in this cycle.
At 6-6 and 285 pounds, he also brings more national cachet than either Mullen or Baker. Per 247Sports, he’s the No. 8 player in Oklahoma and the No. 22 interior lineman in the country, making him the program’s second four-star prospect in the class.
There’s even a little built-in connection. Orunu blocked for running back KD Jones at Jenks last season, and Jones is now a freshman at Oklahoma State.
The Cowboys have only lost one commitment so far, when offensive lineman Chase Clark flipped from OSU to Purdue. With that in mind, the staff is trying to hold onto its current group while still pushing for more.
The class has a clear offensive tilt. Quarterback Carson White of Hightower in Missouri City, Texas, is the top offensive name so far, followed by running back TJ Lewis from Bolingbrook, Ill. Oklahoma State also has three more skill players committed: tight end Talan Scott of American Leadership Academy in Queen City, Ariz.; wide receiver Ake O’Neal of Argyle, Texas; and wide receiver Cooper Hooker of Pryor High School in Quapaw, Okla.
On defense, linebacker Israel Hammonds of Choctaw, Okla., is the lone four-star in the class at this point. He’s joined by defensive backs Bryson Brown of Broken Bow, Okla., and Chayce Davis of Trinity High School in Euless, Texas.
In Other News...
Oklahoma States Rebuild Already Faces A Real Bowl Pressure Test
Oklahoma States rebuild under new coach Eric Morris is already being measured by a familiar postseason benchmark, even though the program has been stuck in a tough stretch since the 2023 season. The Cowboys have managed only four wins in that span, so the conversation around year one of the Morris era is less about long-term patience and more about whether this group can show immediate progress back toward bowl eligibility.
The national read on that question is all over the map, which tells you how much uncertainty still hangs over Stillwater. Some analysts see a path to a bowl if Oklahoma State can settle in and make a jump in conference play, with projected league records in the 5-4 or 6-3 range floating around the conversation, while others are more cautious and leave the Cowboys off the postseason board entirely. One way or another, the rebuild looks like it will be judged against a simple standard right away: can Morris get Oklahoma State back into December football fast enough to make the pressure feel manageable again? [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State Wants No Part Of This New Eligibility Mess
The debate over who should be allowed back into college football is starting to reach the conference level, and Oklahoma State has made its position clear. Head coach Eric Morris is opposing the idea of professional football players trying to work their way back into the college game through the transfer portal, a topic that has grown louder as lawsuits continue to swirl around NCAA eligibility rules.
LSU is reportedly preparing to add former NFL player DaeQuan Wright after he cleared waivers following his release by the Cleveland Browns, giving him a path to a fifth college season. Meanwhile, the Big Ten has already moved to block those returns, and the SEC and Big 12 are both weighing whether to do the same, leaving the sport in the middle of another eligibility fight with no final answer yet. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State Fall Camp Battles Could Push Key Players Toward Tough Decisions
Oklahoma States offseason makeover has created a camp with far more urgency than usual, and Eric Morris has spent the summer trying to sort through nearly 90 newcomers brought in through the transfer portal. For a handful of returning players and transfers alike, that churn has turned fall practice into a real job interview, with starting roles suddenly far less settled than they might have seemed when the roster was first being rebuilt.
Three names to watch are Sanders, Chisom and Foreman, all of whom are battling for starting spots while also facing the reality that a crowded depth chart can reshape decisions after the season. If those opportunities do not break their way, the transfer portal could again become part of the conversation, which is the kind of uncertainty that comes with a roster overhaul this large and makes camp battles carry more weight than usual. [Read more 🡒]