Portal Prep: Where OSU’s Offense Stands Entering the Upcoming Transfer Portal Window

The market is about to open, and college football teams all around the country are about to overhaul their rosters.

A busy few weeks are on the horizon, as the early signing period opens Wednesday before the transfer portal opens on Monday. It’s expected to be a busy portal for all teams, including in Stillwater, as all of this is happening under the shadow under a settlement that looks like it will cut Division-I roster limits down to 105, getting rid of traditional walk-ons in the process.

Before the chaos begins, we thought it’d be a good idea to look at OSU’s roster and see who can’t return, who can and what that means for how OSU will probably use the portal.

This is the offense’s post. We also have a defense post live here.

A few things to note before we get rolling:

Just because someone is the “Eligible to Return” category doesn’t mean that he will return. It just means that they have eligibility remaining. Even that’s tough to keep up with with COVID years, redshirts, etc.

With the early signing period opening Wednesday, some movement could still take place. It’s been a busy close to high school recruiting with recruits all over the country seemingly playing a game of musical chairs as Wednesday draws near.

Alright, let’s dive in.

Quarterback

Out of Eligibility: Alan Bowman

Eligible to Return: Garret Rangel, Zane Flores, Maealiuaki Smith, Garret Wilson (walk-on)

Incoming Commit: Jett Niu

Thoughts: Mike Gundy said going into OSU’s season finale that he expected to have the trio of Rangel, Flores and Smith all back after the portal closes. Whether that ends up being the case or not, that group doesn’t have a ton of college experience. Rangel has played pieces of the past three seasons. Smith played two games and two series this season. Flores, who was perhaps the most hyped of the three coming into the year, hasn’t seen the field because of an injury this season. It’ll be interesting to see if OSU feels it has what it needs here or if they go in search of perhaps a more experienced arm in the portal.

Running Back

Likely Gone: Ollie Gordon (NFL)

Eligible to Return: AJ Green, Trent Howland, Sesi Vailahi, Rodney Fields, Jaden Allen-Hendrix, Seth Swirczynski (walk-on), C.J. Williams (walk-on), Holden Thompson (walk-on)

Incoming Commit: DJ Dugar

Thoughts: The Cowboys likely losing Gordon is obviously a big hole to fill, but running backs coach John Wozniak has done a good job at keeping the cupboard full. Vailahi, Howland and Fields all got a decent number of snaps this season, and Arkansas commit AJ Green was injured before the season started and was able to redshirt. Depending on whether any of that group heads to the portal this offseason, this might be a spot OSU is good at heading into 2025.

Wide Receiver

Out of Eligibility: Brennan Presley, Rashod Owens, Cale Cabbiness

Heading to the Portal: Da’Wain Lofton

Eligible to Return: De’Zhaun Stribling, Gavin Freeman, Talyn Shettron, Ayo Shotomide-King, Mason Gilkey, Tre Griffiths, Camron Heard, Jalen Pope, Tykie Andrews, Kyler Pearson (walk-on), Marcus Dockins Jr. (walk-on), Jaxon Deason (walk-on), Braden Baize (walk-on), Ty Walls (walk-on), Cutter Greene (walk-on), Heston Thompson (walk-on)

Incoming Commits: Royal Capell, Matrail Lopez, Jaden Perez, Kameron Powell

Thoughts: One of the big wonders of the coming weeks is what Stribling plans on doing. He walked during senior day but said after the game he did so because he was a senior without discussing too much about his future. He’s a guy with NFL potential who might be the guy on this OSU offense if he chose to come back. Outside of Stribling, Freeman, Shettron and Shotomide-King all played a decent amount this season, and Heard got some more run late in the year. With all the production the Cowboys are losing in Presley and Owens, I wouldn’t be shocked to see the Cowboys look around in the receiver market, but if they can find a way to get Stribling back, I’m not sure WR would be a top priority in the portal.

Tight End/Fullback

Out of Eligibility: Tyler Foster, Jake Schultz

Eligible to Return: Josh Ford, Quinton Stewart, Bryce Drummond, Luke McEndoo, Tabry Shettron, Joe Bisso (walk-on), Dominic Grein (walk-on)

Incoming Commit: Jordan Vyborny

Thoughts: It feels like Ford, a Stillwater High alum, is the future of this position group for the Cowboys. It also feels like Quinton Stewart has been in Stillwater forever, but I think he is still eligible to return for one more season. This has been an area the Cowboys have gone portaling for the past few seasons, brining in Josiah Johnson before Foster. Ford and Stewart are the only of the eligible to return group with much experience. With OSU using multiple tight ends often, this might be a spot where OSU jumps in the portal and grabs a guy to provide some depth even if those two return.

Offensive Line

Out of Eligibility: Jake Springfield, Joe Michalski, Cole Birmingham, Taylor Miterko, Dalton Cooper, Preston Wilson

Eligible to Return: Isaia Glass, Austin Kawecki, Noah McKinney, Davis Dotson, Calvin Harvey, Jarrett Henry, Jakobe Sanders, Jack Endean, Jamison Mejia, Gage Stanaland, Caleb Hackleman, Nuku Mafi, Chauncey Johnson, Hilton Marsh (walk-on), Wiley Sills (walk-on), Wyatt Holmes (walk-on), Aiden Isaacs (walk-on), Ashton Isaacs (walk-on)

Incoming Commits: Kasen Carpenter (Tulsa transfer), Jaylan Beckley, Simona Fuailetolo, Ryker Haff, Isaiah Kema (2023 signee who went on a religious mission)

Thoughts: This is probably the area that needs the most TLC moving into next season, and the Cowboys have wasted no time in doing that, already grabbing Carpenter from the portal. Glass (tackle) and Kawecki (interior) both played a healthy amount of snaps last season, but outside of that, OSU is rather inexperienced in perhaps the most important position group in the sport. I’d expect OSU to get as much competition in that room as possible through the portal.