Promising Oklahoma State Freshman QB Enters Transfer Portal
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Oklahoma State is losing one of its promising quarterbacks.
On Monday, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that OSU quarterback Maealiuaki Smith is entering the transfer portal. Smith played only one season with the Cowboys but was used late in the season after injuries devastated the position.
One of the most promising players in OSU’s recruiting class coming into last season, Smith was seen as a potential quarterback of the future in Stillwater. After injuries to Garret Rangel and Zane Flores in the middle of the season, Smith took over for Alan Bowman in the final weeks as OSU’s starter.
Smith played in four games with the Cowboys, maintaining his redshirt as a freshman and thus having four years of eligibility still remaining. His first two games featured limited opportunity against Arizona State and TCU before he earned his first career start in OSU’s final home game and the team’s first game with bowl eligibility out of reach.
Against Texas Tech, Smith showed why some believed he could be the star in Stillwater for years to come. Smith completed 26 of his 35 passes for 316 yards, two touchdowns and an interception as OSU narrowly lost in what could have been its first Big 12 win.
While he was a major part in keeping the Cowboys in that game, Smith had an ugly finish to his freshman season. In his second career start at Colorado, Smith completed only 11 of his 29 passes for 70 yards and threw two picks in a 49-0 loss.
Smith ended his freshman season with 489 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions through the air, and he added another touchdown as a rusher. While he didn’t get a ton of opportunity throughout his first season, he still got some valuable experience.
While Smith showed promise in his first year, his departure isn’t all that surprising. OSU has a stacked quarterback room ahead of the 2025 season. With Rangel and Flores healthy and the addition of TCU transfer Hauss Hejny, any playing time for Smith seemed unlikely going into next season.
Although he won’t continue his career at OSU, Smith should have a bright future wherever he lands.
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.