10 Cowboys to Eyeball at The Spring Finale

STILLWATER – We can tell you from looking at the practice plan for The Spring Finale that you will see individual drills, some seven-on-seven and pass rush drills, team period with ones and twos, some special teams with the punters, and then four different scrimmage scenarios, followed by field goal work. We are going to give you 10 players we think you will want to see and even tell you the best place tosee them. 

Spencer Sanders is obvious, so it Brennan Presley, and Dominic Richardson. On defense there is Collin Oliver and Tyler Lacy and Jason Taylor II, but we are pinpointing players that have jumped up in the offseason and spring. Some are older like Jabbar Muhammad, but more are younger like freshmen such as Ollie Gordon or a red-shirt freshman like Jaden Bray. A newcomer where linebacker Xavier Benson qualifies. 

So here goes:

0 - Ollie Gordon, RB, 6-1, 211, Fr., Euless (Trinity), Texas

Bruce Waterfield/OSU Athletics

Gordon has good hands.

Gordon is a freshman and as quarterback Spencer Sanders has said, he hasn’t seen a back that big in his time at Oklahoma State. Just over the past week and a half, Gordon has started getting some reps with the first team. Head coach Mike Gundy feels he will need more time to develop, but Gordon runs well and is excellent at catching the ball out of the backfield. Make sure you watch him in seven-on-seven and all of the team periods. There isn’t an inside drill on the plan, but lots of team and I’m guessing you will see Brown take reps with the ones and the twos.

1 - Xavier Benson, LB, 6-2, 224, RS-Jr.-Tr., Texarkana (Pleasant Grove), Texas/Texas Tech/Tyler JC

Benson comes with a year’s experience of starting at Texas Tech and it shows. He is very athletic and seems to have a really good football IQ. He has been consistentthroughout the spring and I think he is showing leadership qualities. Watch him in the seven-on-seven as he is equally good at pass drops and taking off and rushing the passer. There is not full tackling but watching him fit up, I don’t see that being an issue.

5 - Kendal Daniels, Saf., 6-4, 205, RS-Fr., Beggs, Okla.

Bruce Waterfield/OSU Athletics

Kendal Daniels is a safety that looks like a linebacker.

We saw some of this last spring and in fall camp. Daniels stands out at safety because of his size, but he makes plays. He’s had at least three interceptions in team periods this spring. He looks like a linebacker when he is playing downhill. Check him out on seven-on-seven and all team periods. It’s not just Daniels. Mike Gundy feels the defense will be good again next season. You also have Taylor II, 12-Kanion Williams, 13-Thomas Harper, 14-Nick Session, 15-Ty Williams, 17-Lyrik Rawls, and 18-Sean Michael Flanagan.

7 - Jabbar Muhammad, CB, 5-10, 180, Jr., DeSoto, Texas

You know Muhammad but he has taken his game to another level. He has perfected covering and denying receivers and doing it without coming close to committing pass interference. He is physical and also can play mentally and be effective. His partner on the other side in Korie Black makes big plays, but Muhammad is my pick for “shut down” corner. Again, he is easy to spot in seven-on-seven and team playing out there on the edge.

11 - Lamont Bishop, LB, 6-2, 235, RS-Sr., Country Club Hills (Hillcrest), Ill./Iowa Central CC

Bishop was coming around last spring and made some plays during the season, but he is much more comfortable now. He is very athletic and good against both the run and the pass. Bishop is competing with Mason Cobb and will see some reps with both the first defense and the second.

13 - Garret Rangel, QB, 6-2, 181, Fr., Frisco (Lone Star), Texas

Bruce Waterfield/OSU Athletics

Rangel can spin it.

Rangel is learning the offense in a hurry and man,can he spin the ball. I knew he had a deep ball a lot like Mason Rudolph that kind of drops from the sky into the receiver’s hand like water into a bucket, but his short and intermediate throws are impressive. He is mobile too. He is not as mobile as Spencer Sanders or Gunnar Gundy, but he can move. He has also shown good decision making and ball security.

23 - Jaden Nixon, RB, 5-10, 185, RS-Fr., Frisco (Lone Star), Texas

Rangel’s teammate at Lone Star High School, I think everybody remembers that long touchdown run he had against TCU. Nixon is a little bigger, a lot stronger, and he is so explosive. I’d like to see him be very involved in returns on special teams. Check him out as he will gets some first and second team reps.

76 - Caleb Etienne, OT, 6-7, 325, RS-Jr., New Orelans (Warren Easton), La./Butler Co. CC

Bruce Waterfield/OSU Athletics

Etienne has had a good spring.

He has come a long way. Sometimes junior college guys need time and Etienne because of COVID was coming off two years without a football season. He had a lot of rust to kick off. It is off now and he is bucking for a starting job at tackle. He has been durable and he has been forceful. He lost some weight and it really helped.

77 - Tyrone Webber, OL, 6-3, 285, Jr.-Tr., St. Catherine’s (Notre Dame Catholic), Ont, Canada/NMMI

The concern when Webber reported was he wasn’t as big as first thought. He also wasn’t as polished in off season. We all found out that Webber is a baller. In other words, just send him out to play football and he is fine. Now, he has been moved inside to guard where the thought was he would be a tackle, but he will come in handy there. See what you think. He doesn’t back down in any competitive situation.

85 - Jaden Bray, WR, 6-2, 200, So., Norman, Okla. 

Bray emerged last spring in the 2021 Spring Game. He ended up making an impact as a freshman and he is better now. You know that difference from an explosive player that knows he can make a play to that more experienced explosive player that always expects to make a big catch and huge play. He is on the edge of that. It has been so fun to watch throughout the spring.