Oklahoma State's Last 2023 Commit One of Tulsa World's All-Staters
STILLWATER – By far the All-State team in Oklahoma that means the most is the Oklahoma Coaches Association All-State with the summer All-State game, the All-State jacket for the recipients, and the fact that it is decided entirely by coaches. However, my favorite All-State team to wake up to is The Tulsa World, which does a great job in its selections. I get it too. There are a lot of politics when it comes to selecting an All-State team and other than the OCA, I believe Barry Lewis and the Tulsa World cut through it well.
Okay, Oklahoma State had four of their scholarship signees, one preferred walk-on, and two 2024 recruits selected for the first-team All-State team. Stillwater center JaKobe Sanders, already in school, and Del City defensive end Jaedon Foreman were two of the Cowboys most early commitments in the 2023 class. The other two first-team All-State players from the World were two of the Cowboys final class additions in Enid receiver Tykie Andrews and Broken Arrow offensive tackle Jamison Mejia.
Tykie Andrews, WR, Enid, 6-1, 180
Andrews: Set school records with 130 receptions for 1,557 yards and 17 touchdowns to help the Plainsmen (6-6) post their best record since 2010 and achieve their first playoff win since 2006. Had two TD catches in each of the first four games. Set the tone for his record season with nine catches for 160 yards against 6AII semifinalist Muskogee in the opener.
Jamison Mejia, OT, Broken Arrow, 6-5, 275
Mejia: The left tackle didn't allow a sack and had 88 pancakes in 12 games. Broken Arrow coach Josh Blankenship: "Jamison went from being a long and lanky kid, to developing into a huge, physical offensive lineman. He is an intelligent, high character, hard-working, violent, coachable, and dependable leader, football player, and young man."
JaKobe Sanders, OC, Stillwater, 6-3, 320
Sanders: The center helped Noah Roberts rush for 1,888 yards and the 6AII Pioneers win their first state title since 1967. Stillwater coach Tucker Barnard on Sanders: "A dominant football player, physically dominant. Everywhere I go, all the coaches meetings we do, everybody talks about how physically dominant he was. When you can move people physically the way Jakobe and some of our other guys did, it's really helpful."
Jaedon Foreman, DE, Del City, 6-4, 260
Foreman: Recorded 72 tackles with 11 sacks and 11 others for losses to help the Eagles post a 9-3 record and reach the 5A semifinals. As a tight end, had eight catches for 99 yards. Caught a 20-yard TD pass in a 38-34 win over 6AII runner-up Choctaw in the season opener. Had seven tackles in each of his two playoff games. Career stats: 177 tackles, 28 sacks.
Gabe Rodriguez, one of the nominees for The Tulsa World All-World Defensive Player of the Year, is a first-team All-State selection and he will follow his older brother and Detroit Lions NFL All-Rookie linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez to Oklahoma State.
Gabe Rodriguez, Saf., Wagoner, 5-9, 175
Rodriguez: For a defense that allowed only 50 points in the last eight games, had 85 tackles and three interceptions with a pick-6. On offense, scored 18 TDs as he had 63 receptions for 690 yards and 137 carries for 775 yards. His 18-yard run set up the walk-off winning field goal in the 4A final. Had 212 total yards with two TDs and intercepted a pass in a 31-0 playoff win over Ada. Set the tone when with a 71-yard TD return on the opening kickoff.
Two juniors in Carl Albert running back Xavier Robinson and rapidly emerging Hominy athlete Jaxon Woods are on Oklahoma State’s recruiting radar for the 2024 class and they were both on the first-team.
The best player or prospect in recruiting in Oklahoma for the 2024 class in Tulsa NOAH defensive end and athlete Daniel Okoye is included among the players in honorable mention.
There were also a few preferred walk-ons, including safety Cooper Lai of Cascia Hall, receiver Cason Cabbiness of Norman North, and offensive lineman Garrett Keith of Ardmore Plainview were all honored as honorable mention All-State as well.
Other players with connections on the team include second-team punter Gage Gundy, who is a first-team quarterback on the OCA All-State and is the youngest son of head coach Mike Gundy at OSU. His teammates Noah Roberts (first-team), Corbin Grant (second-team), Zac Tyson (honorable mention), Garhett Reese (honorable mention), and Coach of the Year Tucker Barnard were all on the team too.