Big 12 Recruiting: National Signing Day 2016 winners and losers
Loser: Oklahoma State Cowboys
Like their arch rivals, the Oklahoma State Cowboys failed to capitalize on a very successful season. One would expect a program that started the 2015 campaign 10-0 and worked their way into the playoff conversation late in the year would be able to build some momentum on the recruiting trail, even if it lost three in a row to close out the season.
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However, Oklahoma State managed to sign its lowest rated class since 2005 – the last year the Cowboys produced a losing record. The 2016 class is also the first to finish in the bottom half of the Big 12 in over a decade.
However, Oklahoma State managed to sign its lowest rated class since 2005 – the last year the Cowboys produced a losing record. The 2016 class is also the first to finish in the bottom half of the Big 12 in over a decade.
Of the 21 players that signed with the Cowboys Wednesday, only 6-foot-6, 330-pound tackle Tramonda Moore is rated as a four-star prospect. The No. 108 high school player overall, Moore is considered the No. 11 tackle in the nation and the best player to hail from the state of Oklahoma in 2016 – obviously making him the crown jewel of Mike Gundy’s recruiting efforts this year.
However, the next highest rated player is three-star linebacker Calvin Bundag, who comes in ranked No. 428 in the country.
Oklahoma State overachieved in 2015 with a young roster, and should be a contender again next season. But, like the rival Sooners, the Cowboys missed a golden opportunity.
Next: Texas