Oklahoma State Defensive Line Gets Huge Boost After Iman Oates Wins TRO

The Oklahoma State Cowboys will have the defensive lineman they were hoping for when fall workouts begin next week.

Oklahoma State football player Iman Oates walks to a drill during a workout. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Oklahoma State Cowboys got the news they were hoping for when it came to Iman Oates — at least in the short term.

Per On3 and other outlets, Oates won his temporary restraining order in court on Wednesday, awarded by a judge in Payne County, Okla. His attorney, Ryan Downton, reported the legal win.

It doesn’t make Oates fully eligible yet. But it’s the same ruling that allowed OSU basketball player Kashie Natt to resume practicing with the Cowboys earlier this month. Like Natt, Oates still needs a full hearing.

But, for now, he can not only practice but play in the season opener against Tulsa on Sept. 5, assuming the TRO is still in place.

Iman Oates’ Potential Impact

Oklahoma State defensive tackle Iman Oates. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Oates was one of a handful of returning players on the team and one of the few that had more than significant playing experience. He 19 career starts in FBS, including seven last season with the Cowboys. He’s been practicing with the Cowboys this spring and was expected to show up for fall camp next week.

Oates was seeking an extra year of eligibility under the same auspices as former Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia — that his time at a junior college cut into his NCAA eligibility and into his ability to leverage his name, image and likeness (NIL).

Oates started his college football career at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M and played there two seasons before he transferred to OSU. He triggered his redshirt when he arrived and then played two more seasons. Under former circumstances, his career would be done.

But, the NCAA is dealing with a flood of lawsuits for extra eligibility. Some are using the Pavia ruling as leverage. Others, like Natt, are using the new age-based eligibility rule, the so-called “five-for-five” to make their case.

For now, the Cowboys have some certainty about Oates’ status, though it’s not fully locked in. But if he can play that would be a significant boost to an offensive line that needs all the help it can get.

As a junior in 2024 he started all 12 games for the Cowboys. Last year he played in 12 games and started seven, as he finished the campaign with 14 tackles, two tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a quarterback hurry. He had his best game of the season against Tulsa as he had five tackles. He also had a tackle for loss in that game.