Officials and Recruits on Hand for Oklahoma State's First Real Scrimmage of Spring
STILLWATER – Real officials including several in the Big 12 Conference were on hand Saturday at the Sherman Smith Training Center as Oklahoma State finished up week three of the spring (9th of 15 wokouts) with a scrimmage. It had to be close to 100 plays and it went through a wide variety of situations including coming off the goal line, middle field, red zone, score zone, two minute, and four minute situations.
It was a good day for the defense and defensive ends DeSean Brown and Kody Walterscheid both created to negative plays as Brown stopped a drive with a pass deflection that was ruled an incomplete pass but came close to a fumble. Brown later got a sack on quarterback Garret Rangel, but to be fair the coverage was outstanding, so it was really a coverage sack.
The defensive ends have had a good spring including Jaleel Johnson, who shows up every practice, Brown was big on Saturday, and veteran Kody Walterscheid had a tackle-for-loss on a running play as he took down Sesi Vailahi behind the line of scrimmage.
There were two interceptions as red-shirt freshman linebacker Ike Esonwune picked off a pass over the middle making a very good read on the pass and jumping in front of the receiver. Transfer safety Kobe (K.J.) Hylton had dove earlier in practice on a ball in the middle and the back judge ruled it a trap. It was close. Hylton did get his late in practice as he ran in front of the receiver on an Alan Bowman throw and picked it. Hylton is settling in and playing well after transferring in from Texas-El Paso (UTEP).
In the final series of the day for the top offense and defense, Trey Rucker showed his big play tendency as he broke up a ball to end the series.
The offense was not without highlights. On a fourth down play Rangel made a perfect delivery to red--shirt freshman walk-on Ty Walls. Walls broke a tackle after the catch and went on into the end zone. The 5-11, 180 pound Walls from Jenks was a standout on scout team last fall and is showing himself to be quite capable.
Young receiver Jalen Pope, a red-shirt freshman from A;edo also caught a scoring pass from Zane Flores. Then the steady combination of Alan Bowman to Rashod Owens struck for a touchdown over the middle in the back of the end zone during the red zone work.
There were a number of players with either bumps or bruises that were held out of the scrimmage. The emphasis seemed to be on getting lots of scrimmage work for the younger players.
Oklahoma State will have two days to recover, but still have video sessions, meetings, and walk thrus before the start of the fourth week of spring practice begins on Tuesday.
Some players, all coaches and staff will be with the recruits on official visits Saturday night at the Cincinnati vs. Oklahoma State baseball game. Last night the prospects and their families were at head coach Mike Gundy’s ranch and home outside of Stillwater for the recruiting dinner. So, the prospects and their families got to see the house that is for sale.
Some of the soon-to-be freshmen Cowboys were there at practice as Del City running back and 2024 Oklahoma State signee Rodney Fields was there along with his cousin, LaDanian Fields, a corner also signed with the Cowboys. They brought along hard hitting linebacker and running back Ricklan Holmes II, who had his mom (Star) with him. Holmes is also the son of former Oklahoma State Cowboys safety Ricklan Holmes. The younger Holmes is good size and had the hardest hit I saw in high school last season on a sack of the Claremore quarterback in the playoffs. Holmes II is a 2026 prospect.
Rodney Fields told ne that last week he clocked a 10.7 flat in the 100 meters in a track meet at Pauls Valley. He said they were running against the wind and that 10.7 was a personal record for him. He also said the 4x100 meter relay team he is on for the Del City Eagles clocked a 42.9 in the meet.
Oklahoma Christian quarterback Garret Wilson was there with his mom and dad (Tresha and Keith) and his sister (Ava). Several other walk-ons for next season were there too and included Sunnyvale, Texas linebacker and tight end Charlie Christopher (6-3, 205) and Colleyville (Heritage), Texas wide receiver Kai Pruitt (6-0, 180).
Another 2024 signee that was there on Saturday was offensive lineman Caleb Hackleman from Texarkana (Pleasant Grove), Texas. He was there with his father (Eddie) and Hackleman was listed at 6-6 and 280 pounds when he signed. He looked bigger like 6-7 and close to 300 walking around the Sherman Smith Center.
Most of the other unofficial visitors were younger like defensive linemen from Owasso in 2026 prospect Tajh Overton (6-3, 275) who had five sacks this past season, and 2027 prospect Dwayne Jones (6-2, 230). That duo has been to multiple spring practices and also visited during February for a future defensive lineman recruiting day.
Three offensive linemen were there in Celina, Texas 2025 prospect Zaydyn Dimas (6-4, 290); Walnut Ridge, Ark. prospect Collin Andrews (6-4, 295); and 2026 Ada, Okla. prospect Dawson Matthews (6-5, 260).
Finally, Dallas (First Baptist Academy), Texas strong safety and running back Mark Rayson III (6-1, 200) was there as well. He is a 2025 prospect.
For more on the official visitors that are here this weekend. We have a story entirely dedicated to htose eight players.