Every Oklahoma State Football Starting Job Up for Grabs This Season
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One thing is clear. Oklahoma State head coach Eric Morris has complete command of his roster. In two press conferences with media during the first week of fall workouts Morris spoke about practically every player on the team and with great authority.
He should be able to do so. He and his staff brought in nearly 90 new transfers and managed to keep more than a dozen Cowboys from last year's team.
But that doesn't mean much is set in stone. Morris has talked openly about competition at many positions in both sessions with the media, enough to lead one to believe that many of the starting jobs are still up for grabs as the Cowboys enter the first full week of workouts on Monday.
To that end, Oklahoma State on SI assesses which starting jobs are still up grabs for the regular season. At the end, you'll find which jobs we believe are set and which players have them. Subject to change, of course.
Tight End
There are five players with a shot at some playing time. But two are competing for the starting job — Oscar Hammond and Donovan Green. Both have something to prove.
Hammond played at North Texas the past two seasons. Before that he played two seasons at Division II Central Oklahoma. He missed last season due to an injury, so he didn’t play with quarterback Drew Mestemaker. In 2024 he caught 19 passes for 238 yards and a touchdown and caught more than 50 passes in two seasons with the Bronchos.
Green played three seasons at Texas A&M and another at LSU and has 22 career receptions. It’s a competition that could come down to the wire.
Offensive Line
The race for the five starting spots is difficult to handicap for a couple of reasons. First, one player seen by many as a projected starter, Braydon Nelson, is still recovering from an injury that kept him out of spring and summer workouts. If he’s healthy and ready he’s like to start. Morris expressed no concerns about mental reps for North Texas’ left tackle last season.
Second, Morris admits the Cowboys put an emphasis on recruiting offensive lineman that could play multiple places. For instance, Joseph Hanson, a Coastal Carolina transfer, can play both tackle and guard. Oklahoma transfer Jacob Sexton can do both. Holdover Cowboys lineman Jakobe Sanders can be both a guard and a center.
Morris has set a deadline of sorts to determine his top eight lineman. He'd like that decided by the end of the first scrimmage on Saturday to start building continuity. Until then, it’s difficult to handicap what the line could look like. But with 21 linemen in camp, Morris and his offensive line coach, Cody Crill, have options.
Defensive Line
There is a good argument for Jaleel Johnson and James Williams to be the starting ends and for Saadiq Clements and Jerry Lawson to be the starting tackles. But there is plenty of competition behind the four so none has a secure hold on a job.
Iman Oates, the defensive tackle who is temporarily eligible due to a court injunction, could take a starting job from Clements or Lawson if OSU feels comfortable that he’ll remain eligible. Savion Barthelemy, a freshman from New Orleans, and Braylon Rigsby, a Texas Tech transfer, are prototypical three-technique linemen that can rush the passer. The Cowboys moved Carl’veon Young from outside linebacker to defensive end to leverage his athleticism.
Plus, there is North Texas transfer Keviyan Huddleston, who knows the system and can push either Johnson or Willams for a starting role on the edge.
Cornerback
No fly zone ❌@FieldsLadainian | @OkFordDealers pic.twitter.com/LnODJXzzWq
— OSU Cowboy Football (@CowboyFB) August 9, 2026
Morris didn’t come out and say that LaDanian Fields and Mo Horn would be the starters, but he is certainly leaning that way. Horn has four years of experience at Texas Tech, more than just about every corner on the team. He’s been a previous starter. Fields came on last year for OSU and Morris just needs to see him make more plays in practice.
But Morris talked enough about other players to lead fans to believe the jobs aren’t set yet. Kobe Freeman, Kollin Lewis and Trudell Berry all have the chance to push for the job.
Safety
Like the cornerback jobs, safety seems close to set, with just enough daylight to keep people guessing. Morris did make it clear that the Cowboys see Liberty transfer Christian Bodnar as the nickel back, will move Quinton Hammonds to free safety and leave Evan Jackson at strong safety. Hammonds and Jackson played for North Texas last year and know the system. It gives both an inside track, but they’re not locked in.
The reason? There is enough talent behind the trio to make them sweat. That includes Missouri transfer Mose Phillips III. Cameron Epps and freshman Braeden Presley.
Note: In the estimation of Oklahoma State on SI, the following starting jobs are set, even if there is competition continuing in camp. This list is subject to change.
Quarterback: Drew Mestemaker
Running Back: Caleb Hawkins
Wide Receivers: Wyatt Young, Chris Barnes, Justin Bowick
Linebacker: Ethan Wesloski, Isaiah Chisom
Special Teams: Lachie Pozzobon (punter), Sam Keltner (kicker), Nate Ost (holder)
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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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