All pokes

Oklahoma State GM Kenyatta Wright is a Diamond in the Rough

The Cowboys are in good shape.
Taylor Skieens|
Oklahoma State waits to run on to the field before the college football game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Iowa State Cyclones at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday Nov. 29, 2025.
Oklahoma State waits to run on to the field before the college football game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Iowa State Cyclones at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday Nov. 29, 2025. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Oklahoma State Cowboys

The Oklahoma State Cowboys are about to enter into a new era of college football following the highly anticipated arrival of head coach Eric Morris, who will be making the move over from the University of North Texas. A new chapter of Cowboy football is about to leap into the spotlight, but in the shadows, Oklahoma State has one of the best football minds in the business.

When I first got my start with OK State on SI, Oklahoma State athletics was about as new to me as a crisp November morning. My first true love in organized sports centered around high school athletics and a knack for breaking down talent was my specialty. On the 22nd of April, I took a shot and reached out to current Oklahoma State GM Kenyatta Wright, and the rest is history.

Don't get me wrong, Wright let me know fairly quickly the proper avenues to navigate in order to interview coaches and players, but he closed his statement with a sentence I will never forget: "Thank you for covering Oklahoma State athletics."

I never officially interviewed Kenyatta about the program, but a friendship was formed. We would talk frequently about the game of football, and I would pass on any leads I had about up-and-coming football stars. His love for recruiting couldn't be matched in the state, and as I spoke more with recruits, I learned how important Wright was to Oklahoma State on the recruiting trail.

Diving headfirst into Oklahoma State recruiting, I wanted to learn everything I could about the process. The interviews began to flood my inbox, and stories about the top prep players in the nation took over my social media feed. One name reigned supreme in 98 percent of the athletes I spoke with... Kenyatta Wright.

Wright is an Oklahoma State Cowboy blueblood. During his time as a Cowboy, he recorded 260 career tackles, 11 quarterback sacks and one fumble recovery. He played five seasons in the NFL, with most of those coming as a New York Jet. He later joined the Oklahoma State Cowboys as the Director of Football Business.

With the future unknown for a majority of the staff at Oklahoma State, one thing is certain. The Pokes need to retain Kenyatta Wright by any means necessary. Let's be honest, the Pokes need Wright more than they need oxygen.

If the Oklahoma State administration would give Kenyatta Wright complete control of recruiting, then the possibilities could be endless. Before it is all said and done, the Cowboys could have one of the top recruiting classes in the Big 12 for the 2026 cycle despite finishing the 2025 season with one win. The 2027 class could be even more special, and Wright is a major catalyst for the future success of the program.

And after nearly a year of waiting.... I finally got my Kenyatta Wright quote.

"When it comes to self-promotion, I don't do it. My purpose is helping people get better and reaching their goals for themselves and their families. That is all I care about. I had my day in the spotlight, now it's their turn," said Wright.

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Taylor Skieens
TAYLOR SKIEENS

Taylor Skieens has been an avid sports journalist with the McCurtain Gazette in Idabel, Oklahoma for seven years. He holds the title of Sports Editor for one of the oldest remaining print publications in the state of Oklahoma. Taylor grew up in the small lumber town of Wright City Oklahoma where he played baseball and basketball for the Lumberjax.

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