Oklahoma State Football: Ranking the 10 best players on the roster

No player made bigger strides in the shadow of other players on the Cowboy offense than slot receiver Jalen McCleskey. He was an undersized special teams threat that was deeper on the depth chart during his freshman campaign in 2015. Last season, McCleskey became the second-favorite target for Mason Rudolph behind star receiver James Washington.

McCleskey caught 73 passes for 812 yards and seven touchdowns last season. Moreover, McCleskey now has more than 1,000 receiving yards and 100 catches in his two seasons in Stillwater. He will, once again, be relied upon to take some of the pressure off Washington and be yet another talented weapon at Rudolph’s disposal.

Receivers like Dillon Stoner and Tylan Wallace could also use McCleskey as a mentor over their next two seasons. McCleskey has a unique skill set that makes him an extremely valuable slot receiver that other Cowboy receivers could definitely learn a lot from. And if McCleskey can experience the same amount of statistical growth that he did last season, the possibilities are scary in 2017.

McCleskey is the third of four receivers on this list, showcasing the overall depth and talent at Mason Rudolph and offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich’s disposal.