Oklahoma State Football: Former Miami WR Lawrence Cager good Pokes fit?

A talented group of wide receivers for Oklahoma State football could get a nice boost if former Miami Hurricanes wide receiver Lawrence Cager joins.

The NCAA Transfer Portal turned the college football landscape on its head entering the 2019 off-season. A host of talented players and well-recognized names across the country put their names in the NCAA Transfer Portal with intentions to at least explore their options this off-season. The Oklahoma State football program was one of those hit hard by the new portal this year. Oklahoma State football itself had numerous players put names into the portal.

However, Oklahoma State football could shift its fortunes on the transfer market entering the month of February by bringing in a key commit or two. The Oklahoma State Cowboys are in a position to potentially fit the bill of a dark horse contender in the Big 12 for the 2019 season, but it is still a few pieces away on both sides of the ball to truly reach that point.

Entering the 2019 off-season, Oklahoma State football had key players like former wide receiver Jalen McCleskey, running back J.D. King, and linebacker Patrick Macon, put their names into the portal in some cases during the regular season. To fill some of those voids, the Pokes could turn to the portal for help.

Especially on the offensive side of the ball, there’s a plethora of transfer prospects that could make an immediate impact for Oklahoma State football. Among a host of skilled wide receivers that are uncommitted in the portal, there’s a few that would be good fits for head Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy.

A few key names to watch at wide receiver include Penn State’s Juwan Johnson, Miami’s Lawrence Cager, and USC’s Trevon Sidney. Of those three, the two that stick out are Johnson and Cager. But, the off the field issues and effort questions surrounding Johnson would likely make him a difficult fit with Gundy and Oklahoma State football.

There’s some interest coming Cager’s way since he announced his intentions to transfer out from the Miami Hurricanes football program. The former five-star recruit had a planned visit with the Iowa State Cyclones and is a big target of the Nebraska Cornhuskers, per 247Sports.

The Big 12 attention Cager is receiving is a factor that should extend to Oklahoma State. Gundy frequently pursues the transfer market to add players that can fill voids and help make an instant impact. Cager is a good fit for that need, and he could help replace the production in the passing game that will be lost by the departure of standout wide receiver Tyron Johnson.

Cager’s appeal that he brings with him on the transfer market is three-fold. First, he has the size and physical tools required to stand out with a high-powered passing game like Oklahoma State’s and at the next level. That feeds into the second point, where he can make a huge difference when he’s actually on the field (evident by his career with Miami). Most of all, Cager could have the highest talent ceiling of any wide receiver in the portal right now.

You can view the entire list of players that put their names in the NCAA Transfer Portal and are sourced somewhere, from 247Sports here.

During his career at Miami, Cager racked up 45 catches for nearly 700 yards and 10 touchdowns. A combination of up and down play out of Miami football altogether and a host of injury issues hampered Cager, and kept him off the field at times, over the past three years.

An opportunity for a fresh start and a career year comes with a destination for a player like Cager with the Oklahoma State football program. The ultra-talented 6-foot-5 and 220 pound wide receiver could give a few other landing spots a look to his benefit.