Oklahoma State's Jaleel Johnson Knows Where His Reunion Will Be, What About Others?
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FRISCO, Texas – Jaleel Johnson was the only Oklahoma State veteran with the Cowboys contingent in Frisco at Big 12 Football Media Days. The 6-4, 270 pound defensive end from Putnam City North High School in Oklahoma City is the last of an evaporating group. He is the last of the 2021 recruiting class at Oklahoma State. Yes, many of them are still around because college football has become a longer tenured experience. The majority of that class still playing are playing in different colored jerseys.
“These past couple of years have been depressing seeing my teammates go,” Johnson said. “The people I came in with leaving constantly. There are so many guys gone, a lot of things messing with my mental (outlook).”
Johnson is revived. I was there at McBride Orthopedics Hospital the day he had shoulder surgery that ended his 2025 season. He is healthy, he is listed as the starter at defensive end and he is surrounded by a new staff and a lot of new teammates.
“I’m feeling good, very good that I can still play this game,” Johnson said. “PT is going great and I’m still going in there and getting it worked on, mainly just trying to tone it and make sure I have no issues this year.”
The flush, so to speak, is sad because as Johnson said, for so long in his career there was a winning culture. That changed, but with Eric Morris and the new staff including defensive coordinator Skyler Cassity it is feeling positive again.
“The biggest differences are the coaching staff and they are a lot more into it than the coaching staff last year,” he said. “I’m not going to say they gave up on us, but they were worn down. We have so many new players that are different and into it.”
Like Johnson said, many Cowboys are gone scattered. Defensive tackles Justin Kirkland (BYU) and De’Marion Thomas (Houston) are slated to start. Kansas State has a trio of former Cowboys in Preseason All-Big 12 defensive end Wendell Gregory, running back Rodney Fields and linebacker Jacobi Oliphant. Quarterback Zane Flores is at Iowa State. Johnson’s classmates safety Lyrik Rawls and wide receiver Jaden Bray are at Arizona State and West Virginia respectively.
Rawls, I was shocked to see changed addresses. I thought he was through.
“I had redshirted my freshman year (at OSU) and then my third year I had the knee injury and that’s how I got my two extra years and I went to Kansas, now I’m at Arizona State,” Rawls explained.
Last season he faced his old team for the first time as Oklahoma State limped into Lawrence with a 1-8 record, The Jayhawks won 38-21 and Rawls had three unassisted tackles and a huge pass break-up.
“That game was real emotional for me and I was glad to make a couple of plays out there,” Rawls said. “It was also good to see some of the guys and get the love out there.”
That is what you don’t realize, players like Rawls and West Virginia wide receiver, former Cowboy, and Norman High School product Bray still see themselves as partly Oklahoma State Cowboys.
“Man, this has just been great to see a familiar face out here at Media Days. This has just been great,” Bray said. The day before I got the same reaction from Rawls prancing around in the Sun Devils maroon and gold.
Bray has had a tough go of it in Morgantown going out early in the last two seasons with a knee injury. He had a total of seven receptions for 95 yards.
“He was out best receiver going into last season when he got hurt in game two and was out for the year,” West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez said. He is healthy and if he stays that way, he will be our best receiver this year.”
“I still have love for Oklahoma State. The only time I’ve been back to Oklahoma State is Calf Fry. It’s crazy because of lot of the former players like John Paul Richardson and Blaine Green we all go back to Calf Fry.”
“We have Oklahoma State in Morgantown and this is the first conference game,” Bray continued. “I’m in the best shape and I’m looking forward to playing this season.”
“Then I get to play Kansas and OSU this year and OSU is for my Senior Night in November,” Rawls said. “I’m going to be emotional for both of those games.”
Twenty years from now, with wife and kids in tow where will these guys go to watch college football, to show their family where they played?
“I gotta see, but I always found that place (Stillwater) as home,” Rawls said. “I’ve never shied away from it and I was there for four years. I have a degree from there.”
I hope that Bray and Rawls will feel they can come back with their wives and kids and show them Oklahoma State and be proud they played for the Cowboys. I hope so, but I know Jaleel Johnson will bring his wife and kids because this is home and as far as football, always will be.
“Loyalty is a big thing for me,” Johnson said. “I love this program. I love our fans. I love everything about Oklahoma State and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”
