Will Oklahoma State's Tight End Impact the Offense Next Season?

Coming off a decent freshman campaign, Cowboys tight end Josh Ford looks to impact the team in his sophomore season.

Oklahoma State's Josh Ford (40) looks to get past Arkansas' Jaheim Singletary (15) in the second half of the college football game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Arkansas Razorbacks at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla.,, Saturday, Sept., 7, 2024. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Oklahoma State Cowboys are poised to bounce back from a season fans hope to soon forget, despite the solid NFL prospects that came out of it. One player who could help impact OSU's return to glory is sophomore tight end Josh Ford, who grew up just 20 minutes from campus.

A native of Stillwater, Ford put together a modest freshman campaign where he proved to be a potential threat at the tight end position, despite the limited looks he received on the football field.

Ford played in all 12 games as a freshman, making 10 receptions for 92 yards and a touchdown. While he was limited in his touches, on the receptions Ford was able to haul in, he showed strong hands, a great catch radius at 6-foot-6 and capability to stretch the football field.

Sep 14, 2024; Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys tight end Josh Ford (40) jumps as he runs into the end zone for a touchdown against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane during the second quarter at Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-Imagn Images | Brett Rojo-Imagn Images

He'll need to improve on his work as a run and pass blocker inside of the trenches, but as he barely enters his sophomore season at Oklahoma State, the young tight end will still have plenty to craft at his spot.

Oklahoma State chose the young tight end to be one of the three players to also represent them at the Big 12 Conference media day, displaying trust from both the coaches and managers to represent the Cowboys in the national spotlight.

As the Cowboys prepare for the 2025-26 season, coach Mike Gundy will need to find new ways to incorporate his young tight end as Ford could be a key to success for the Oklahoma State offense this upcoming season.