The Oklahoma State Cowboys are just a few days away from the start of their first camp under new head coach Eric Morris.
The Cowboys hired him away from North Texas , where last season he and the Mean Green nearly won an American Conference championship and went 12-2, winning a game after Morris left to begin his work Oklahoma State .
Morris and his staff, most of which came with him from UNT, brought in nearly 90 new transfers and signed a solid recruiting class. Only 13 letterwinners from last season's team chose to stay. That's the roster Morris and his staff will manage during fall workouts for the next month, leading up to the Sept. 5 season opener against Tulsa.
Of all the players on the roster, these three could be poised for a breakout during fall camp.
Missouri State Bears linebacker Dallas Winner-Johnson. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Winner-Johnson played at Tulane last year and went to the College Football Playoff, but he didn't have the desired impact. He only had five tackles as he played in the season's final 10 games. Back in 2024, he was a beast for FCS Missouri State .
With the Bears, he was named FCS Freshman All-America after he had 62 total tackles, including 26 solos and 6.5 tackles for loss. That's the player Tulane thought it was getting. That's the player that the Cowboys hope they're getting.
With two linebackers that should be starters in Ethan Wesloski and Isaiah Chisom, the starting jobs should be set. But Winner-Johnson has the talent to get significant playing time in key situations. He should be able to show in fall camp that he can make a serious impact.
Miami Hurricanes defensive back Markeith Williams. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect
Williams comes to Oklahoma State seeking a second chance after four years at Miami (FL). He didn't play last year as he opted to transfer in September and then landed with the Cowboys for his final year of college football. The former four-star recruit is going to be one of several players that will compete for the third safety job.
He played nearly 30 games at Miami in his three seasons in the lineup and started just one game. He had eight tackles in one game at the end of the 2023 season, which shows that he has the talent to be an impact player on the back end. With his athletic ability and a hunger to get real playing time, there is a good chance he can work his way into the starting lineup.
Ohio Bobcats wide receiver Rodney Harris II. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect
Harris is one of several players that will be competing for the fourth or fifth wide receiver job, and he has the talent to push into the starting lineup under the right circumstances. He spent the last four years at Ohio University, where he needed two years to get regular playing time and put up modest numbers. Last year he put up his best numbers, finishing with 419 receiving yards and two scores.
With so many options, it's going to be hard to break through. But Harris has a couple of things going, not the least of which is that this is his last year of college football and he's highly motivated to make the mark he struggled to make with the Bobcats.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/oklahomastate as Three Oklahoma State Football Players About to Break Out in Fall Camp .
