Oklahoma State Football: Top five names to watch in 2017

With the 2016 Oklahoma State football season over, we look at the top five names to watch for the 2017 college football season.

With the 2016 college football season done for the Oklahoma State Cowboys, it’s time to look ahead to next season. Most fans know all too well that expectations are high because of the triple threat of quarterback Mason Rudolph, wide receiver James Washington, and running back Justice Hill all returning to OK State next season. But it’s time to start looking at other names that could make an impact with the Pokes in the near future.

Before we look to the future, let’s look at who the Pokes lose. Defensive tackle Vincent Taylor and running back Chris Carson combine for two of the biggest losses. Taylor declared early for the NFL Draft. Cornerback Ashton Lampkin and tight end Blake Jarwin graduated while having the chance to get drafted into the NFL. Safety and leading tackler Jordan Sterns graduated. Linebacker and second leading tackler Devante Averette graduated as well. The only losses to the wide receiving corps are Austin Hays and Jhajuan Seales. Hays had his best season with the Pokes while Seales had an up and down career but his services will be missed.

Some criteria for a player to be in this particular spotlight include the level of the role they step into, potential talent level, and how ready they are to start. This list includes players who currently own a roster spot or already started this season. Most players committed in the 2017 recruiting class will not be present in this list because they still have an opportunity to de-commit, but all players are considered.