Year-to-year, rosters in college football are changing at rates we've never seen before with the usage of the transfer portal. The Oklahoma State Cowboys, after going 1-11 in 2025 leading to the firing of longtime head coach Mike Gundy, were the epitome of the new age in college football this offseason.
Out went 66 players to the portal, and in came 54 players to the program. A handful of whom were coming from the North Texas Mean Green program, as head coach Eric Morris was hired and brought along many of his top guys. Among that group was a prolific trio of offensive performers who helped lead the Mean Green to a 12-win season in the American Athletic Conference with the top scoring offense in the nation.
Now, those three players, plus over
50 other transfers, are suiting up for the Cowboys this fall. With expectations of carrying over the success that Morris had at North Texas, disappointment reigned over Stillwater in their season-opening 24-10 loss to the Tulsa Golden Hurricane.
Despite the loss, this Oklahoma State roster has plenty of talent that'll be ready for the Oregon Ducks on Saturday, looking to pull off the upset. Ahead of Saturday's matchup, here are five Cowboys that Duck fans will want to know.
QB Drew Mestemaker
Drew Mestemaker being the quarterback at a Power Four program is as improbable as it gets, as he never started a varsity game in high school and walked on at North Texas before finally receiving an opportunity late in the 2024 season. He seized it, opening the 2025 season as the starter and leading the country in passing with 4,379 yards to go along with 34 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Standing 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds without elite athleticism, Mestemaker doesn't have the strongest characteristics at the quarterback position but operates Morris' offense at a high level and with accuracy. While he struggled against Tulsa, if he plays anything like he did in 2025, he'll be one of the top quarterbacks that the Ducks face this season.
RB Caleb Hawkins
Mestemaker's backfield mate, Caleb Hawkins was equally impressive last season at North Texas. Just a freshman, he totaled 1,434 yards and 25 rushing touchdowns to go along with 370 receiving yards and another four scores. Hawkins is a grinder at 6-feet and 219 pounds, routinely toting the ball 20-plus times a season ago in recording six 100-yard games. He struggled a bit in the opener, carrying the ball 18 times for 79 yards. But like Mestemaker, he could be an issue if he can regain his 2025 form.
WR Wyatt Young
Wyatt Young exploded last season with the Mean Green, quickly becoming Mestemaker's top target in recording 70 receptions for 1,264 yards and 10 touchdowns. Late in the season, he topped 100 yards in five of six games, including a monster eight-cacth, 295-yard, two-touchdown performance against the Rice Owls. In his first game as a Cowboy, Young caught eight passes for 84 yards and will be the main priority for the Ducks' secondary on Saturday.
LB Ethan Wesloski
The senior leader of the Cowboys defense, Ethan Wesloski is another player who followed Morris from North Texas to Oklahoma State. The 6-foot-1, 234-pound linebacker had 113 tackles, two forced fumbles, 1.5 sacks and interception in 2025, revealing himself as one of the top playmaking defenders in the Group of Six. Now at the Power Four level, he's one of the top linebackers in the Big 12 and appears on his way to another big year after notching seven tackles in the season-opener.
S Christian Bodnar
Finally, an impact player who isn't a transfer from North Texas. Instead, Christian Bodnar comes to Oklahoma State after two seasons with the Liberty Flames, where he totaled 57 tackles, three sacks and an interception. Now entrusted with leading the Cowboys' secondary, the rangy safety had five solo tackles in Oklahoma State's loss to Tulsa. While he only has one career interception, Bodnar has the physical ability to pose issues for opposing teams on the back end of the defense.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Five Oklahoma State Cowboys that Duck fans should know before Week 2
