Players Who Redshirted for OSU in 2017 Who Could Contribute in 2018

Oklahoma State’s fresh off inking a 22-man recruiting class littered with almost entirely high school seniors, most of which will likely redshirt in 2018.

We covered signing day extensively which means most of the recruits — guys like Spencer Sanders, C.J. Moore and the likes — are plenty fresh on your mind. But the same might not be true for Class of 2017 recruits who spent the last season on the sidelines redshirting.

So as a refresher, here’s a look at each of the redshirt players and their prospects for contributing in 2018.

Brock Martin; DE

A superstar wrestler from Oologah out of high school, Martin was making major rumblings in fall camp before a shoulder injury forced him to redshirt. I expect him to not only vye for playing time in 2018, but to push for a starting gig at one of the D-end spots.

Shamond Greenwood; WR

Another of OSU’s receiving corps that stands at 6-foot-4, Greenwood is a freak athlete who glides like a gazelle but can high-point balls like Marcell. At least that’s the hope. He was a freak of nature in high school.

Chuba Hubbard; RB

[Unloads entire clip of hyperbole.] Chuba’s a star-in-waiting at tailback. The Canadian speedster saw a redshirt in 2017 while fellow frosh J.D. King played. Hubbard, though, has the higher upside of the two in my opinion. Think Olympic sprinter with a football body and you’ve got Chuba.

Patrick Macon; LB

Expected to make a contribution in 2017. Macon was a mysterious no-show on the field. Talk is that he wasn’t mentally ready to make a major contribution at middle linebacker, but with a redshirt year learning under Chad Whitener, he’s slated to be a rotation player in the teeth of OSU’s defense.

Lamarcus Morton; CB

An early enrollee from last season, Morton’s got a head start on making the two-deep at corner alongside A.J. Green and Rodarius Williams in 2018. The Gilmer, Texas native played both sides of the ball in high school, but a year learning the position as a redsirt will do him well. I like his size at 6-foot-1, 185-pounds.

Tracin Wallace; QB

Tracin was a dynamic high school quarterback who suffered through two gruesome ACL tears that cut short both his junior and senior seasons. I don’t expect him to vye for the starting gig, but he might surprise some people with his strong arm and athleticism at the spring game.

Jelani Woods; CWB

The low-key biggest offseason story thus far has been Jelani Woods’ change from QB to Cowboy Back. The 6-foot-7 talent from Georgia had his name next to every superlative coming in, but he was a bit limited with his mobility and size for a signal-caller. He’s a project at Cowboy Back.

Kris McCune; Safety

I was really high on McCune coming in, but he took a redshirt in 2017 while Thabo Mwaniki and Malcolm Rodriguez played as true freshmen. That won’t hinder his ability to play in 2018, though. He’s super rangy and has excellent coverage skills. He’ll play right away.

Brendon Evers; DT

Bixby native Brendon Evers is a candidate for the all-freak team. He was a nasty high school wrestler and an even better d-tackle for the Spartans, which means he’s got great hands and understands leverage. I think he will play in the rotation in 2018, and his long-term upside is off the charts.

Arlington Hambright; OL

A late addition to OSU’s 2017 class out of junior college, Hambright is a project who needed development and will likely need more. I don’t expect him to be a starter but he could play a role as a vital backup for Josh Henson.

Braydon Johnson; WR

Braydon Johnson was an under-the-radar signing coming from a run-first offensive attack in high school. At 6-foot-1, though, he’s an intriguing prospect to potentially fill a spot as an outside or inside receiver.

Tre Sterling; Safety

Tre Sterling played a little of everything in high school — running back, safety, you name it. I think his versatility will be huge for OSU in a Ramon Richards-like role for OSU down the line.

Baron Odom; CWB

Baron Odom, like Hambright, was a last-minute addition for 2017. But he’s bulked up and put on some major weight during his redshirt season already. I expect him to, eventually, fill a Blake Jarwin-like role for OSU. He has great hands.

Jake McClure; Kicker

OSU found Jake McClure out of Tennessee and he was a three-star prospect. Despite Matt Ammendola’s late-season surge, he could be a candidate to compete for the starting gig as a place kicker.

Shane Richards; OL

The 6-foot-7 Richards saw spot duty in 2016 but redshirted in 2017 as he sat behind a veteran offensive line. OSU listed him as the backup to outgoing Zach Crabtree, which could mean he’s the frontrunner to replace him in 2018.