Multiple Former Cowboys Among Top 100 Transfers of 2025

Oklahoma State has had a major roster turnover and lost some great players in the process.

In 2024, OSU was one of the most disappointing teams in college football, going 3-9 and failing to win a conference game. While the Cowboys struggled, they had plenty of individual talent, including some players who found a new team this offseason.

In a recent article, ESPN ranked the top 100 players from the transfer portal this offseason, and two OSU departures made the cut. Former Cowboy wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling came in at No. 73, and former OSU safety Kendal Daniels earned the No. 99 spot.

Stribling played in Stillwater for two years and shined last season after having his 2023 campaign cut short because of injury. Last season, Stribling had 52 catches for 882 yards and six touchdowns.

Stribling committed to Ole Miss this offseason and could be a big difference-maker in the SEC. This is the second time Stribling has switched teams, with him playing two seasons at Washington State before coming to OSU.

Meanwhile, Daniels’ departure is a bit more controversial because of his decision to play for Oklahoma. Although Bedlam isn’t on the schedule anymore, OSU fans weren’t exactly happy to see a player leave for their rival.

At OSU, Daniels played in 41 games across four seasons and racked up 240 tackles, 24 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. He has also been a key player in the secondary, getting five interceptions and even forcing a couple of fumbles.

Despite losing some big names in the transfer portal this offseason, the Cowboys have rebounded well and set themselves up to compete in the Big 12 again in 2025. While OSU obviously would have loved to keep talented guys like Stribling and Daniels around, the Cowboys always knew losing that caliber of players was a possibility.

OSU made so many changes throughout the offseason, bringing in an almost entirely new coaching staff after suffering nine losses in 2024. To keep the top players in the country around, teams need to have success on the field or continuity off of it, and the Cowboys went 0-for-2 in those categories.

Still, OSU has reset and has built a roster that could be among the best in the Big 12 next season, and Stribling and Daniels have each found a new home where they could continue to have special careers.