Oklahoma State’s Running Back Room Has a Nice Mix of Proven Production, Potential and Star Power

The Cowboys unquestioned RB1 will garner most of the hype leading into this fall, but the position group is deep and talented beyond former UNT star Caleb Hawkins. That was the message of Cowboy wide receiver Justin Bowick at OSU’s media day this past weekend.

When asked for an offensive player that isn’t getting enough buzz this summer, Bowick pointed to the entire running back group. “Everybody’s talking about Caleb [Hawkins], but that whole room’s deep.

“They’re explosive, they hit the holes, they get out in the outfield, catch the ball, get upfield.”

Hawkins does command the headlines (for good reason) after his breakout freshman campaign at North Texas last season. He led the nation in rushing touchdowns and points scored and was fifth nationally in rushing yards at 1,434 and yards per carry (6.2). But Hawkins isn’t the only tailback with proven production in the room.

Redshirt senior Ayo Adeyi amassed more than 1,800 yards and 10 touchdowns over two years at North Texas, earning an All-AAC second team nod, before transferring to James Madison for the last two seasons where he’s dealt with some injuries.

Tre Page III comes in having racked up 839 yards and seven scores for Tarleton State as a redshirt freshman last season. He may be making the jump from FCS to a Power Conference team, but he brings lightning speed and big-play ability after averaging 7.5 yards per carry a year ago.

William Mason comes in after multiple productive seasons at UCO

Even KD Jones, an incoming true freshman, came in having set the record books ablaze at Oklahoma powerhouse Jenks. He set records with 4,742 rushing yards, 5,798 all-purpose yards and 67 total TDs over his prep career.

“KD, that’s my guy,” said Page. “He’s a freshman so I feel like he still has something he can learn but so far he’s made a lot of progress that I’ve seen since he got here in the weight room and on the field and in the meeting room.”

Page talked about what it’s like competing in what sounds like an underrated room, if you listen to those within the program.

“I love it because we all make each other better every day,” said Page. “I feel like you know you’ve got a competition within your group every day. We all bring our own skillset. I feel like we have the best running back room in college football.”

Although college football’s talking heads may not cosign on that claim just yet, it’s not outright hyperbole. Athlon Sport recently tabbed OSU as No. 21 when ranking running back rooms for 2026, and the group has a nice mix of productive youth and some star power. And they’ve got a prolific head coach and play caller in Eric Morris who’s got a track record for fielding a potent running game.