Oklahoma State is missing some of last season's best receivers, but the team is well-equipped to make up for it.
Last season, OSU's offense was dominated by a battle between three quarterbacks early on. Alan Bowman ultimately won the contest, helping OSU to a 10-win season that included a Big 12 Championship appearance.
Bowman thrived alongside Ollie Gordon in the backfield, but without the Cowboys' receiving core, Bowman's success would have been minimal. Star players like Brennan Pressley are expected to return next season, but some of the Cowboys' most important receivers will not be in Stillwater.
Those players include Leon Johnson III, who was redshirted and left eligible to give OSU some momentum midway through the season. Johnson appeared in 10 games throughout the season, including the team's final eight games.
Although his season-best 149-yard performance came in his homecoming game against Cincinnati, Johnson's biggest game came in the Cowboys' final regular-season game against BYU. Johnson had nine catches for 132 yards and helped the Cowboys pull off an 18-point comeback and clinch a berth in the Big 12 Championship.
While Johnson transferred to OSU from George Fox for one season, another Cowboy left Stillwater this offseason to continue his career elsewhere. After three seasons at OSU, Jaden Bray has entered the transfer portal and will play at West Virginia next season.
Although he had a successful rookie season, gaining 250 yards and two touchdowns, he was limited to only three games in 2022 due to injury. However, he returned in 2023 and made a huge impact for the Cowboys.
Last season, Brey played in 10 games and gained at least 40 yards in six games, including a 77-yard game against Kansas State.
OSU is missing two of its top four receivers from last season, but Dezhorn Stribling's return from injury could help the Cowboys lose. Of course, their workload will be heavier again next season with the return of the Cowboys' two top receivers, Pressley and Rashod Owens.
Some of the Cowboys' top players will return to help out the departed players, but other receivers like Taryn Shetron also have room to grow. OSU's receiver room will lose some of its key contributors from last season, but it's hard not to be optimistic about the production returning next season.
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