Sooner State Native Getting a ‘Fresh Start’ at Oklahoma State Football

The Oklahoma State Cowboys have one of the best quarterbacks in the country in Drew Mestemaker. But for him to put up the kind of numbers he put last year, he needs a good offensive line in front of him.

The Cowboys did not have a good offensive line last year. Only one Oklahoma State lineman that saw meaningful time last year is back in Jakobe Sanders. While there are a few returning linemen who didn’t letter last year, the majority of the 21 offensive linemen in fall camp are transfers or freshman and have no connection to the previous coaching staff.

That’s good news for head coach Eric Morris and offensive line coach Cody Crill. They can build a new offensive line from the ground up. But they still need talent and they’ve pulled it from all over the country — including from their arch-rival, the Oklahoma Sooners.

It’s clear the Cowboys are counting on former Oklahoma lineman Jacob Sexton to make an impact. Morris has already seen it this offseason.

“Jacob's done a great job, especially in the off season, just changing his body,” Morris said. “I think this is as lean as he's ever been.

Jacob Sexton’s Path to Stillwater

Oklahoma State’s Jacob Sexton holds a football while posing for a photo — Oklahoma State’s Jacob Sexton. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

For an Oklahoma kid like Sexton, there are only two choices coming out of high school — Oklahoma or Oklahoma State. The Deer Creek High School product from Edmond, Okla, chose the Sooners. His remained committed after then-head coach Lincoln Riley left for USC and Oklahoma hired Brent Venables to take over the program.

Nothing quite worked the way that Sexton had hoped, though he got to play in 10 of 13 games in 2022 and took part in more than 70 snaps. It led to a start in the Cheez-it Bowl, but his game ended after three plays due to injury.

That became a theme in his career. In 2023 he made it back for seven games and started the last four of the season. After playing at left tackle in 2022, he moved to right tackle.

In 2024 he moved back to the left side and made eight starts — four at tackle and four at end. But an injury truncated that season, too. In 2025 he won the left tackle job out of camp but was injured in the season’s first game and took a redshirt.

More than anything, he needed a fresh start, Morris said.

“He played, he battled some injuries, and he just hasn’t gotten the results that he wanted, right?” Morris said. “So I think, as we talked about it earlier, sometimes a change of scenery is a good thing for these kids and allows them to mentally reset.”

Listed at 6-6, 328 pounds, he’s the prototypical tackle for an Air Raid offense. His versatility is an asset. He doesn’t have to play tackle to make an impact. While many preview magazines have him starting at left guard, he could make his way to either tackle position.

Sexton is a key piece of the puzzle. He’s never quite lived up to the expectations of being an Oklahoma-born football player lining up for an in-state team. He gets one last chance to prove he has the right stuff. Morris is eager to see it play out. For him, it means taking a hands-on approach.

“Some people on our team that, when they're coming from a negative situation, I’ve got to do a good job mentoring them to getting the belief back in themselves, where they think they can go out there and do it at a high level,” Morris said.

If Sexton can do that, then the Cowboys will be one step closer to the kind of offensive line that will make Mestemaker and this offense dangerous.

Add us as a preferred source on Google