Intriguing Oklahoma State Tight End Transfer Addition Re-Enters Portal

Jordan Owens will be going back into the portal.

An Oklahoma State helmet is pictured before a college football game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys (OSU) and the West Virginia Mountaineers at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Oklahoma State is losing one of its most exciting portal commitments.

On Wednesday, tight end Jordan Owens announced that he will be re-entering the transfer portal after committing to the Cowboys earlier in the offseason. Owens was seen as a potential star at tight end for the Cowboys, but it appears that won’t materialize for the Pokes.

Before making his way to Stillwater this offseason, Owens had spent the past three seasons playing at Central Arkansas, where he blossomed into a reliable offensive option. Last season, Owens had the best season of his career, making 19 catches for 166 yards and two touchdowns.

Owens had his most productive game for Central Arkansas against Abilene Christian last season, making four catches for 51 yards. He also had at least one catch in seven games.

Before his breakout year in 2024, Owens had seven catches for 56 yards and three touchdowns as a sophomore. His first year at Central Arkansas in 2022 featured only three catches for 26 yards but included a couple of touchdowns.

While Owens could have become a valuable part of the Cowboys’ offense next season, he will be making his impact somewhere other than Stillwater.

Through the first portal window, OSU and new offensive coordinator Doug Meacham seemed to have an emphasis on adding talented tight ends and making them a larger part of OSU’s offensive attack compared to years past. 

Even without Owens, the Cowboys still have a solid tight end room and should have no problem showcasing the abundance of tight end talent. With Meacham taking over as the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator, there is already expected to be a shift from what OSU has done on that side of the ball when Kasey Dunn was in charge.

While tight ends were often used in a fullback-style position known as the Cowboy back for years, there has been a shift in Stillwater in recent years to traditional tight end usage. Perhaps, Meacham will be able to utilize tight ends more in the passing game compared to the past, but Owens will be showcasing his talents elsewhere, it appears.

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