STILLWATER – With the spring knee injury to returning starting offensive lineman Cole Birmingham, projected to move into right guard for the 2022 season, Oklahoma State is on the lookout for a player to come in and help. The Cowboys have narrowed their search for now to Cooper Lovelace at Butler County C.C. This is the same school that had current Oklahoma State offensive tackle Caleb Etienne during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lovelace has choices and those are growing by the hour. USC has offered him on Sunday and after Oklahoma State pushed out an offer on Monday (May 2) morning the Florida Gators came back with one in the afternoon.
Lovelace is an interesting story in that he only played one season of high school football at Shawnee Mission East in Kansas and then went to Butler County to hone his craft and learn more football in junior college. The size was there, and in fact, he has done a good job of trimming some to 6-5 and 323-pounds. In the meantime, he has advanced as a player. He has three-years to play three seasons.
How’s this? I saw tape of him playing at both right and left guard and some at left tackle. He is outstanding at mashing and he has a good stomp in getting out in run blocking and is capable of getting lots of push and putting his man on the ground. On pull or fold plays, he glides into his target very smooth and does well. He can also block on the run and is featured on screen passes and delayed runs. He is often times able to stay ahead of the ball carrier or receiver as far as 20-yards downfield.
I like his set block on the double team as he crashes the line and seals the gap for the runner. His pass pro is solid and he has the kick-slide technique down. He is also good in mirroring the defensive rusher and keeping in front of him. Hands are excellent and I had to look to see if he wrestled in high school and couldn’t find it.
Lovelace is a three-for-three player and he did speak recently to Jon Kirby of Jayhawk Slant and told him, “I live for football. I mean I don't party. I don't go out much. I try to get in six hours of NFL game pass a week, especially in the off season. That's normally what my weekend is. I don't really do much besides football. I guess the reason why I can do it and especially being in JUCO, if you don't love it you won't last, I promise you that.”
I believe that Etienne will be a big help in recruiting Lovelace, but I really believe the keys will be offensive line coach Charlie Dickey as this is just the kind of story that Dickey can appreciate as he had several players at Kansas State that were late developers that he got into the NFL. Then strength and conditioning asst. athletic director Rob Glass is a key as well because of Lovelace’s dedication to building his body for the NFL. Glass is known as one of the best in the field of football strength and conditioning. He could be one of the few strength coaches that could further enhance the work that Lovelace has put in since high school.
“I think it was just my drive to be successful is really what's done it now,” Lovelace told Jayhawk Slant. “I've made a full body transformation since high school. I’ve grown a couple inches, gained 20, 30 pounds but look thinner. So, it has been good weight and I move a lot better.”
The key will be getting Lovelace on campus. You would think his midwestern roots and the culture and feel of Oklahoma State and the Stillwater community would be a fit for Lovelace and his dedication and lifestyle.
Othe schools included in his growing list of offers are Kansas, Arkansas State, Central Michigan, and Tulsa.
Lovelace is White, the picture you see in the post is Caleb Etienne in the Cowboy hat with a football!pokeacola said:
Etienne? His college teammate?
You might want to rephrase that last sentence. (Sorry, I couldn't resist)rcfb said:
He looks like a great get, with one year under Coach Glass he will be really good. Hopefully we can fend off the big boys and get him to Stillwater. Hopefully Gundy gives Dickey a hand.
