Oklahoma State 2022 NFL Draft Preview - Rodriguez is the Certainty
STILLWATER – The 2022 NFL Draft begins in Las Vegas, Nev. on Thursday (April 28) night, but none of the Oklahoma State Cowboys that are candidates for the NFL’s selection of players will be watching very close. The Cowboys contingent of NFL prospects will play a little more attention on Friday evening with the second and third rounds, but it will be Saturday mornign starting at 11 a.m. where the Cowboys will start locking in on the coverage.
“I’m just going to be spending time with family and few close friends,” linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez told us earlier this week. “i’m just going to relax and be with people I love and see what happens.”
“I’m ready to chill,” cornerback Christian Holmes told us on radio. “You don’t know what is going to happen and that is the best way to go through it. Don’t have expectations. Just be ready to roll with whatever happens.”
We know what we saw. Malcolm Rodriguez had 409 tackles at Oklahoma State, one of just four players to make that many tackles as a Cowboy. He also had a pick six three years ago to beat Iowa State on the road. He had an interception in the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl win over Notre Dame to seal the comeback win over the Fighting Irish. He was first-team All-Big 12 and All-American.
Rodriguez ran a 4.52 forty and had a 39-5-inch vertical jump at the NFL Combine and did an amazing 36 reps on the bench press rep test at the Oklahoma State Pro Day. Now, Rodriguez is 5-11, 236-pounds with 30 3/8ths-inch arms. Those are short arms by NFL standards. It’s a knock against him.
“I’ve had a lot of conversations like that where they were real with me,” Rodriguez said. “With linebacker coaches telling me about the system and me as a player and where I would fit in. A lot of guys have been real with me. I don’t want to beat around the bush, so keep it real with me. Tell me how it is.”
What isn’t real is all the NFL Draft coverage. We know that ESPN’s Mel Kiper is the dinosaur, the original of all of the mock drafts and player ratings. Now just about everybody on television or the internet is doing it.
Before we reveal. Here at Pokes Report we’d like to see all of the Cowboys get drafted, but we know that is not realistic (real). I’ll be real here. I see three Oklahoma State Cowboys being drafted starting with Rodriguez as somebody is going to look past his short arms and realize he is fast, athletic, can tackle well with his two-time State Champion wrestling background, and has excellent football IQ.
I believe his fellow starting linebacker from this season will hear his name called. The draft gurus have overlooked him, but he made plays and even Mike Gundy admitted they should have played Devin Harper more. Harper has size, he plays well, and he aced his Pro Day interview with a 4.49 forty, a 40-inch vertical, and a 4.03 seconds on the 5-10-5 agility drill. He played behind Amen Ogbongbemiga the previous seasons. Amen, an undrafted free agent last year made it with the Chargers and even started some games.
“People asked me why I didn’t play,” Harper said. “I told them the guy ahead of me was pretty good and that he is playing in the NFL now. Just look at the video, I can play the game.”
Yes, he can. When he filled in for Ogbongbemiga in the 2018 season and played four straight weeks he ended up with 44 tackles and a pick six. Pro Football Focus named him a midseason All-Big 12 linebacker.
I also have cornerback Christian Holmes getting picked. He has good size and he is physical the way a corner theses days needs to be. The 6-0, 201-pound Holmes an definitely play at that level, and he will also be a strong special teams player as will Rodriguez and Harper.
That said here is how a decent sample of the NFL Draft media sees the Cowboys candidates:
| Player | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | ESPN-Kiper | ESPN-McShay | ESPN-Reid (draft rd.) | PFF | CBS | Pokes Report |
| Israel Antwine | DT | 6-02.6 | 309 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | UFA |
| LD Brown | RB | 5-09 | 187 | NR | NR | NR | NR | 382 | UFA |
| Devin Harper | LB | 6-00.2 | 234 | NR | 326 | NR | NR | 412 |
6th-7th Rd. |
| Kolby Harvell-Peel | Saf. | 5-11.5 | 213 | NR | 325 | 335 (UFA) | NR | 196 | UFA |
| Christian Holmes | CB | 5-11.7 | 201 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | 7th Rd. |
| Tay Martin | WR | 6-01.4 | 184 | NR | 300 | 271 (7th) | NR | 293 | 7th Rd./UFA |
| Malcolm Rodriguez | LB | 5-11 | 232 | 140 | 162 | 177 (4th-5th) | 153 | 141 | 4th Rd. |
| Josh Sills | OG | 6-05.5 | 322 | NR | NR | NR | 143 | 302 | 7th Rd./UFA |
| Tre Sterling III | Saf. | 5-11.5 | 205 | NR | 294 | NR | NR | NR | 7th Rd./UFA |
| Jaylen Warren | RB | 5-08 | 204 | NR | NR | 330 (UFA) | 229 | 262 | 7th Rd./UFA |
After my top three, the next four that I have as possible seventh round selections are wide receiver Tay Martin. Martin was the “go-to” guy last season and that says something in the Oklahoma State offense. His speed will be a knock, but he was also a key receiver at Washington State. Being at Oklahoma State got him into an offense with a more well-rounded route tree.
Josh Sills is more than capable and has shown he can play center as well as either guard. Pro Football Focus had him as the highest rated Oklahoma State prospect. No other outlet had any player rated higher than Rodriguez.
Tre Serling III may have been the highest-rated of the Oklahoma State players had he not missed so much of the season with the hand injury. Now that is fixed, Sterling III might be a more highly regarded prospect. He is tough, physical, and has an excellent football IQ.
Jaylen Warren can run. He is tough and if running backs were more highly valued then he might be a slam dunk. He is a throwback to those bowling ball body types that were more popular back in the 70’s-80’s.
It only takes one person to want to draft a player and if they are high-ranking enough then it will get done.
I see Kolby Harvell-Peel as that type of player. As far as LD Brown and Isreal Antwine, I don’t see them being drafted. Honestly, Antwine had another season and he should have taken it. Others I have spoke to in the football business agreed. Another season and he would have, without injury, had a much better chance to make it in the NFL.