Breaking Down Oklahoma State's Latest College Football Award Nominees
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This has already been a big week for Oklahoma State football players and award watch lists for college football.
Four more players earned inclusions on watch lists for awards that will be handed out at the end of the college football regular season. Here are those four watch list honorees for the Cowboys.
Wyatt Young
The Cowboys wide receiver claimed his first watch list nomination earlier this week as he was included on the Biletnikoff Award watch list. The award is given to the best collegiate wide receiver in the country and named for former Florida State wide receiver Fred Biletnikoff,
Former OSU wide receiver Justin Blackmon won the award in back-to-back seasons (2010-11) and James Washington won it in 2017.
Last season with North Texas he had 1,264 receiving yards, the second most receiving yards in a season in North Texas history. He also had 70 receptions and 10 touchdowns. He was a first team All-America selection by PFSN and a first team All-American Conference honoree. He also set a conference record with 295 receiving yards on eight catches with two scores in the win over Rice.
Young was also named to the Senior Bowl 300 on Thursday.
Caleb Hawkins
Already on the Walter Camp player of the year and Maxwell Award watch lists, the sophomore running back was named to the Doak Walker Award watch list, which his given to the nation’s best running back. Ollie Gordon II became the first OSU back to win the award in 2023. The award was first presented in 1990 after Cowboys Heisman Trophy winner Barry Sanders graduated.
Last season with North Texas he set the NCAA record for most touchdowns scored by a freshman with 29, including 25 rushing scores. He led the nation in rushing touchdowns, points scored and points scored per game. He was a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award.
Drew Mestemaker
Already a nominee for the Walter Camp player of the year, The redshirt sophomore was named to the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List. The award is given to the best upperclassmen quarterback in the country. Even though Mestemaker is classified as a redshirt sophomore, as this is his third year in college football he qualifies for the award.
Mestemaker thew for 4,379 yards and 34 touchdowns at North Texas in a 12-2 2025 season in which the Mean Green reached the American Conference championship game. He was given the Burlsworth Award, which is given to the best player in the country who started his career as a walk-on.
Ethan Wesloski, Campbell Trophy
Wesloski was included on the Butkus Award watch list last week, which is given to the best linebacker in college football. This week he was nominated for the Campbell Trophy, which is presented by the National Football Foundation.
The Campbell Trophy is given to the top college football player with the best combination of academics, community leadership and on-field performance. The Campbell Trophy is also referred to as the “Academic Heisman.”
Wesloski was an all-American Conference selection for North Texas last season after he led the team with 113 tackles and played in all 14 games.
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Matthew Postins is the publisher of Oklahoma State on SI. He is an award-winning sports journalist who was formerly the editor of the College Football America Yearbook and covers the Big 12 Conference for Heartland College Sports.
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