Oklahoma State Adds Talented Transfer Linebacker from Western Kentucky
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Oklahoma State has added another impact player from the portal.
On Tuesday, OSU secured a commitment from transfer Darius Thomas, according to a report from On3’s Pete Nakos. Thomas spent his past two seasons playing at Western Kentucky and had originally transferred to Louisville this offseason before re-entering the portal.
Thomas comes to Stillwater after having an impressive season for the Hilltoppers. Last season, Thomas dominated on the field, racking up 54 tackles, seven tackles for loss, four sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
Thomas sat out the entire 2023 season with an injury after playing in eight games as a freshman in 2022. Coming out of high school, Thomas had some impressive offers, including Georgia and Miami.
Considering some of the teams that were after Thomas as he began his college career, there is no doubt that he has some serious potential coming into Stillwater. Assuming the Cowboys can find some room for him to contribute, he could be a significant factor next season.
After the Cowboys and defensive coordinator Todd Grantham have spent the past few days adding size to the defensive line, they now have some more help at linebacker. With the departures of Collin Oliver and Nick Martin to the NFL, there will be no shortage of opportunities for players to fill that void in 2025.
The Cowboys ranked among the worst teams in the nation defensively last season, and additions from the portal like Thomas are an important step in getting back on the right track. While OSU has had so many changes this offseason already, its ability to continue adding an abundance of talent through the portal could soon make the Cowboys a dark horse contender in the Big 12.
OSU failed to win a conference game last season, and its struggling defense was a significant reason why. As OSU revamps that side of the ball, Mike Gundy’s team could soon be among the best in the conference again.
Thomas’ commitment is just another sign that OSU is adapting to this era of college football, and it could soon make its mark on the national stage.
Ivan is a sports media student at Oklahoma State University. He has covered OSU athletics since 2022 and also covers the OKC Thunder for Inside The Thunder and Thunderous Intentions.