Oklahoma State Defensive Line: The Good, The Great, The Unknown Entering Fall Camp

As the Oklahoma State Cowboys prepare for fall camp, here’s a dive into what they have at the defensive line position.

Oklahoma State head football coach Eric Morris. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

If the Oklahoma State Cowboys are going to be a better team in 2026, the defensive line is going to have to be much better than a season ago.

Like most positions for the Cowboys, there is turnover and plenty of it. New head coach Eric Morris used the transfer portal liberally at every position. With the defensive line, that infusion of talent was designed to improve the pass rush and the run defense.

For that reason, there are really no starters that are set in stone up front going into the Tulsa game on Sept. 5. There should be healthy competition across the board as the Cowboys figure out what their rotation should look like for opening night.

Oklahoma State on SI continues its fall camp position previews with a look at the defensive line position.

The Good

Oklahoma State defensive tackle Iman Oates. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There are a lot of players up front. The Cowboys took in 21 going into fall camp. By numbers, it’s the deepest position group on the team, with the 20 offensive linemen right behind them. It’s also evenly distributed. There are 10 ends and 11 tackles listed. There will be no shortage of options.

The bulk of the depth was acquired in the transfer portal. Nearly half are transfers, including three from North Texas, where defensive coordinator Skyler Cassity was a year ago. The position does have more returning players from last season than any other. That includes tackle Iman Oates, whose eligibility is still in question. Ends Landon Dean and DeSean Brown, along with tackle Luke Webb, are back from last season.

In addition, while the defense turned over 23 players from a season ago, the Cowboys didn’t lose that much in terms of experience up front. Oklahoma State lost just 22 games of experience up front. The four returning defensive linemen have 25 games returning and two of them didn’t play a down. This assumes that Oates will be eligible.

The Great

Oklahoma State's Keviyan Huddleston. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The UNT players are probably the closest things the unit could have to stars and all three have potential to take big jumps because they understand the scheme. End Keviyan Huddleston led the Mean Green with 9.5 tackles for loss and five sacks after two seasons of being able to do little at TCU. Tackle Saadiq Clements had 30 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble. Another tackle, Fatafehi Vailea II, redshirted due to injury in 2025 but had 30 tackles in 2024.

Looking at the more experienced players, there is some real potential. Holdover Malik Charles — who is listed as an end on the web site but as an OLB in the media guide — can build on a three-sack season in 2025. Another holdover, Jaleel Johnson, has already caught the eye of the coaching staff after missing more than half of last season due to injury. Troy end D.J. Jackson Jr. had two sacks last season. Florida State end James Williams had 1.5 sacks. End Billy Walton III and tackle Jerry Lawson have played at power conference programs. So have tackles Dominic Macon, Braylon Rigsby and Enai White.

The Unknown

Oklahoma State defensive coordinator Skyler Cassity. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

There’s a lot of talent. But no one at either end or tackle has an elite track record like many of the offensive transfers do. No one has a high-level track record. Several redshirted last year. Oklahoma State represents a new opportunity for many of them. But does that mean they’ll elevate their game?  

When a unit doesn’t have star power to build from, then the sum must be more than the parts put into the position. This unit is going to have to work off rotations and matchups and not off one or two dominant players. The Cowboys don’t have that on paper. Maybe someone emerges as that player.

Going into fall camp, Cassity and his position coaches are going to have build waves of rotations that can get the job done. The track records of the returning players and the transfers suggest that will be a tall order.