Oklahoma State has finally gotten a look at itself in live work this fall, and the first scrimmage at Boone Pickens Stadium has started to sharpen the picture - even if Morris still isn’t giving much away.
The Cowboys held their first of two scrimmages before the Sept. 5 opener against Tulsa, but it was closed to the media and Morris wasn’t available afterward. That leaves less to work with than anyone would like at this stage. Still, after six workouts and one scrimmage, there’s enough to make a new read on where the depth chart stands.
At quarterback, the buzz around Mestemaker keeps building. Earlier this week, The Athletic’s mock Heisman Trophy draft had him going in the second round, and Bruce Feldman wrote that Mestemaker could become a “first-round pick” by the end of the season.
That kind of attention is no accident. The feeling around him is that he has the tools to be one of the most productive quarterbacks in college football.
In the backfield, Hawkins is the clear lead option and should handle most of the carries when the season opens. Morris has already made it clear he wants to avoid leaning too hard on him, though, especially after saying he felt he overused Hawkins as a true freshman at North Texas. The plan is to keep Hawkins fresh late in the year by spreading work around three or four other backs.
At receiver, the top three remain the most straightforward part of the offense. Young already has built-in chemistry with Mestemaker from their time at North Texas.
Barnes brings more than just special teams value - he led Wake Forest in receiving last year. Bowick gives Oklahoma State a tall, fast target who can do damage in the red zone.
If the Cowboys open in a three-wide look, those are the three who should be out there.
Tight end is still murky. It’s one of the toughest spots to project because the Cowboys have two experienced options, but neither has put up eye-popping production in college. For now, the edge still goes to Hammond over Donovan Green, though that battle is far from settled.
Up front, Mercer appears to have the inside track at center over holdover interior lineman Jakobe Sanders. His familiarity with the offense from North Texas gives him a real edge, even though he transferred to Kansas in 2025. The rest of the line is tied up in one big question: Braydon Nelson’s availability for the opener.
If Nelson is able to go, he’s the likely left tackle, with Sexton at left guard. If he can’t, Lepo would probably slide out to tackle and Sexton would stay inside, where he can play both spots.
Flipping Lepo and Hanson for Tulsa also can’t be ruled out if Nelson is unavailable. Morris has made it clear how important Nelson is to what Oklahoma State wants to do, and he has said Nelson already has all the mental reps he needs.
There hasn’t been any movement on the edge, and that’s difficult to read either way. The Cowboys don’t have much proven experience there, and this could end up being a four-man rotation on both sides. But for the first snap, Johnson and Williams still look like the starters.
Inside, the situation at defensive tackle also hasn’t changed. Iman Oates could still be a starter if the litigation around his eligibility breaks his way, and more clarity on those cases should come this coming week as several are reaching a point in court. Until then, Oklahoma State appears likely to stick with Clements and Lawson.
At linebacker, Morris has been talking up the competition involving Dallas Winner-Johnson and Tate Romney, and both are expected to have roles. But this is one of the few spots where the Cowboys seem to have the right combination of track record and production already in place. Barring injury, those two should be on the field against Tulsa.
Cornerback looks more settled than most other places. Morris wants playmakers there - guys who can attack the football - and right now Fields and Horn have the best case.
Fields had two interceptions last year for Oklahoma State, while Warren was a full-time starter for Texas Tech in 2024. The staff wants more turnovers, and nothing yet suggests anyone else has seriously pushed those two.
That said, Jeremiah Piper and Markeith Williams are names to watch. Both transfers have caught Morris’ attention early in camp, and while they may not crack the starting lineup, they should have rotational roles.
The secondary is even more defined on the back end. Morris has already identified Bodnar as the nickel back, Jackson as the strong safety and Hammonds as the free safety.
Those players still aren’t official starters, but the way Morris has slotted them suggests he’s comfortable with them there. The only real questions now are whether anyone behind them can make a run and whether any of the three slip during camp.
For now, they look like the group that will be on the field for Oklahoma State’s first defensive possession against Tulsa.
Special teams has its own shape taking form. Lachie Pozzobon was the starting punter, Sam Keltner was the starting kicker, and Nate Ost - listed as a punter but without a college punt attempt - is the likely holder.
The return game is still unsettled. Barnes is part of that mix, and so is Miles Coleman, who handled returns at Wake Forest and North Texas last season, respectively.
In Other News...
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For Oklahoma State, it is the sort of recognition that feeds bigger expectations around a player who is supposed to be central to the offense. The Walter Camp award will narrow to semifinalists and finalists later in the year, with the winner set to be announced in December, but Hawkins has already put himself in a conversation that suggests the Cowboys may have more than just a solid transfer on their hands. [Read more 🡒]
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The bigger picture is even more interesting when you look at the schedule. The AP rankings of Big 12 teams and Oklahoma State opponents suggest the Cowboys are set up with a relatively manageable conference slate, since they are ranked behind only three teams on the schedule. That does not make the road easy, but it does leave room for Oklahoma State to make an argument if it handles business against the opponents it is expected to outrank. [Read more 🡒]