NFL.com: The Top 10 All-Time Oklahoma State Players in the NFL

STILLWATER – We’re now just over a week remaining before the start of fall camp for Oklahoma State football, which means we’re rapidly approaching actually football to talk about, rather than speculation and conjecture.

But in the mean time, we’re still going to speculate and conject, as well as look at some lists.

Today’s list comes to us from the NFL in the form of the top 10 NFL players from Oklahoma State. No surprise there aren’t any current, or even recent players on the list. It’s possible if Chuba Hubbard keeps playing the way he is with the Carolina Panthers, he might find his way onto this list in the future.

Most of these guys are easy to predict, while some will be a fun blast from the past.

Starting with No. 10: Dale Meinert, LB/G

Meinert, originally out of Lone Wolf, OK, way down in the southwestern part of the state in Kiowa County, was drafted in the 8th round of the 1955 NFL Draft with the 88th pick by the Chicago Cardinals. He didn’t actually play for Chicago, but rather three seasons with the Edmonton Eskimos before 10 seasons back in the NFL with the St. Louis Cardinals. He finished his career as a three-time Pro Bowl selection, he helped win the Grey Cup twice and he recorded nine picks for 126 yards, 13 fumble recoveries, 12 sacks and one defensive touchdown.

No. 9 Walt Garrison, RB

Garrison was a 5th round pick in the 1966 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys. He played his entire career for the Cowboys, nine years, missing all seven games. He finished his career with 3,886 yards, 1.794 receiving yards and a combined 39 touchdowns, 30 of which came on the ground. At the time of his retirement, he was the third-leading rushes and fourth-leading receiving in Dallas history. He’s still ninth all-time leading rusher. He finished as a Super Bowl champion, a one-time Pro Bowl selection and was on the Dallas Cowboys; 25th Anniversary Team.

No. 8 Dexter Manley, DE

Manley was drafted in the 5th round of the 1981 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins, where he played the bulk of his career. He had an insane career with Washington, recorded 97 sacks in 125 games. He also had five fumble recoveries and two interceptions. He spent one season in Tampa Bay and one in Phoenix before retiring after the 1991 season. He finished his career as a two-time Super Bowl champion, first team All-Pro in ’86 and second team in ’87, made the Pro Bowl in ’86. He’s listed among Washington’s 90 greatest players and was inducted in the Washington Ring of Fame.

No. 7 Jason Gildon, LB

Gildon, out of my grandparents’ hometown of Altus, OK, was a 3rd round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1994 NFL Draft. He spent 10 seasons with the Steelers, playing in 158 games and recorded 507 total tackles, 378 of which were solo stops. He had 58 tackles for loss, including 77 sacks, 11 fumble recoveries, three of which he returned for touchdowns. He had 24 pass break ups and two picks. He was first team All-Pro in 2001, a three-time Pro Bowl selection and was inducted into the Steelers’ Hall of Honor.

No. 6 Jamal Williams, DT

Williams was second round supplemental pick by the San Diego Chargers in the 1998 NFL Draft. He finished his 12-year career with the Chargers playing in 148 games and recording 311 total tackles, 241 of which were solo stops. He also had 13 sacks and one interception which he returned 14 yards for a touchdown. He finished his career playing one season in Denver, recording 47 total tackles. He was a two-time first team All-Pro in ’05 and ’06, second team All-Pro in ’04, he’s in the Chargers’ Hall of Fame and was on the Chargers’ 50th Anniversary Team.

No. 5 Jon Kolb, OT/C

Ponca City’s own, Jon Kolb. He was a 3rd round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1969 NFL Draft, and had one heck of a career. He finished as Oklahoma State’s only four-time Super Bowl champion, helping win SB 9, 10, 13 and 14. He was a first team All-Pro in ’79, is on the Steelers’ All-Time Team, their 50th season All-Time team and is in the Steelers’ Hall of Honor. 

No. 4 Kevin Williams, DT/DE

Williams is one of Oklahoma State’s higher drafted players as he was selected with the 9th overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings, where he played from 2003-13. He finished his 11-year stint with 465 total tackles, 334 of which were solo stops. He had five interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns, 13 fumble recoveries, two of which were also returned for touchdowns, 84 quarterback hits, 60 sacks and 104 tackles for loss. He finished as a five-time first team All-Pro in ’04 and ’06-’09, a six-time Pro Bowl selection, ’04 and ’06-’10, the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team, the PFWA All-Rookie Team, he’s in the Vikings’ Ring of Honor, one of the 50 Greatest Vikings and is on the Vikings’ All-Mall of America Field Team.

No. 3 Leslie O’Neal, DE/LB

OSU’s 2024 Ring of Honor selection was the 8th overall pick in the 1986 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers, where he played from 1986-95. He started 125 of 133 games for the Chargers, recorded 597 total tackles, 105.5 of which were sacks. He also had 18 forced fumbles and nine recoveries. He was the NFL Defensive Rookie of the year in ’86, a three-time second team All-Pro in ’90, ’92 and ’94, a six-time Pro Bowler in ’89, ’90 and ’92-’95, he’s in the Chargers’ Hall of Fame and is on the Chargers’ 40^th and 50^th Anniversary Team.

No. 2 Thurman Thomas, RB

Bet you can guess who No. 1 is going to be, huh? Thomas was the 40th overall pick of the 1988 NFL Draft, taken in the second round by the Buffalo Bills. In 13 seasons with the Bills, he started 160 of 182 games, recording 12,074 yards and 65 touchdowns on 2,877 carries. He also had 472 receptions for 4,458 yards and 23 touchdowns. He’s OSU’s second four-time Super Bowl participant, unfortunately not winning any. He was, however, the league MVP and the Offensive Player of the year in 1991, a two-time first team All-Pro in ’90 and ’91, a three-time second team All-Pro in ’89, ’92 and ’93, a five-time Pro Bowler from ’89 to ’93, he’s on the NFL’s 1990s All-Decade Team, he’s on the Bills’ Wall of Fame, their 50th Anniversary Team and his No. 34 was retired by the Bills. He’s also one of two Oklahoma State players in the NFL Hall of Fame. Can you guess the other?

No. 1 Barry Sanders, RB

We all knew this was coming. Barry was the 3rd overall pick of the 1989 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions, and would go on to become the best running back in NFL history. He finished with 15,269 rushing yards and 99 touchdowns, as well as 352 receptions for 2,921 yards and 10 touchdowns. He’s an OSU Ring of Honor selection and the second NFL Hall of Famer with Thurman.

It’s just easier to list his accomplishments like this.

• NFL Most Valuable Player (1997)
• 2× NFL Offensive Player of the Year (1994, 1997)
• NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (1989)
• 6× First-team All-Pro (1989–1991, 1994, 1995, 1997)
• 4× Second-team All-Pro (1992, 1993, 1996, 1998)
• 10× Pro Bowl (1989–1998)
• 4× NFL rushing yards leader (1990, 1994, 1996, 1997)
• NFL rushing touchdowns leader (1991)
• NFL 1990s All-Decade Team
• NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team
• PFWA All-Rookie Team (1989)
• 2× Bert Bell Award (1991, 1997)
• Pride of the Lions
• Detroit Lions 75th Anniversary Team
• Detroit Lions All-Time Team
• Detroit Lions No. 20 retired