Oklahoma State Football Recruiting Weekly: Blue Chips, Big Names, New Targets
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The Oklahoma State Cowboys are looking to turn things around after a 1- 11 campaign last season. But that doesn't mean they can't look to the future. In fact, they must.
As new head coach Eric Morris and his staff prepare for Tulsa, other preparation is going on as Oklahoma State begins to seriously court players it’s interested in recruiting for the Class of 2027 and 2028.
As the Cowboys begin the process of narrowing down who they should target, here are some notes as the football season begins.
The Impact of Odaefe Oruru
Offensive tackle Odaefe Oruru played in one of the biggest games in high school football last weekend as Jenks (Okla.) took on Southlake (TX) Carroll in a game that went down to the wire before Carroll won, 34-33. It was a battle of programs that could end up winning state championships this year.
But it was the impact that Oruru had on Oklahoma state's recruit recruiting class that is more relevant here.
The Cowboys flipped the offensive lineman from Arkansas last week and he made an impact on the 2027 class in a few different ways. First, he was the first interior offensive lineman the Cowboys received a commitment from. Second, he became their second four-star prospect per 247Sports.com. Third, he boosted Oklahoma state's overall recruiting rating for its class of 2027 in the Big 12 from No. 16 to No. 14 per 247Sports.com.
The Cowboys still have runway to flip other players or bring in bigger recruits before they're allowed to sign in December. But landing Oruru is a sign that the Cowboys’ efforts on the recruiting trail and the optimism surrounding the program under first year head coach Eric Morris aren't falling on deaf ears.
Visits at Tulsa Game
With games beginning around the country, it's time for official visits for the class of 2028. One potential Oklahoma State target is doubling up on the Cowboys this season.
Carter Akin is among the players expected to make an official visit to Tulsa on Saturday. That’s important for the Cowboys because it means Akin will see them at least twice this year. He’s already committed to going to the Nov. 14 OSU game against Texas Tech in Stillwater.
The top defender from Bishop McGuinness in Oklahoma City is the son of Zac Akin, who played at Oklahoma State. Carter Akin had 166 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss and three forced fumbles. He’s projected as either a linebacker or safety at the next level.
While he's a legacy, it's important to get him in front of the Cowboys as much as possible this season, especially if Oklahoma State puts together a winning start to the season. The more games the Cowboys win, the more likely it is that players like Akin will want to commit when the 2028 cycle begins next spring.
Looking Ahead to Oregon Official Visits
The Cowboys opened the home portion of their season on Sept. 12 when they host the No. 2 Oregon Ducks. As one might expect, it's the biggest non-conference game on the schedule. It will also mark the first set of official visits at home in 2026 for Oklahoma State.
It's a red-carpet kind of environment and the Cowboys have already sent out invitations to Class of 2028 targets.
One such target is Allen (Texas) cornerback Elijah Smith, who just moved to Texas from California. His visit was reported by 247Sports.com (subscription required).
It's a great chance for Oklahoma State to make a good impression on a recruit who only has one power conference offer from Louisville. If he likes what he sees on game day, and the Cowboys like what they see on tape, he could become a prime target when Morris and his staff begin to assemble what their recruiting class will look like in the secondary next spring.
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Matthew Postins is the publisher of Oklahoma State on SI. He is an award-winning sports journalist who was formerly the editor of the College Football America Yearbook and covers the Big 12 Conference for Heartland College Sports.
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