5 greatest Oklahoma State football players of all time, ranked

Oklahoma State soccer has fielded some unimaginable gamers all through the many years. Whereas not discovering the championship success of a few of their rivals, the Cowboys have nearly all the time been related because of the celebs on the sector. As we speak, we’re going to rank the highest 5 gamers in Oklahoma State soccer historical past. Though let’s be trustworthy, everybody already is aware of who the highest spot belongs to.

Earlier than we get to the listing correct, although, now we have some honorable mentions at hand out. The primary of two is defensive again Mark Moore (1983-86), a two-time All-American who nonetheless has the second-most interceptions in class historical past with 16. The one participant he trails is our different honorable point out, Bob Fenimore (1943-46), who holds the college document with 18 interceptions and led the nation in whole offense in 1944 and 1945.

With these honorable mentions lined, listed below are the highest 5 biggest Oklahoma State soccer gamers of all time.

5. RB Terry Miller, 1974-77

A number of the most dominant rushers to ever play soccer have donned the Oklahoma State uniform. The primary of three on this listing, and the primary chronologically, is Terry Miller. Miller won’t be as well-known as the opposite two working backs afterward the listing, however he was a dominant rusher in his personal proper.

In his faculty profession, Miller rushed 871 occasions for 4,754 yards and 49 touchdowns. He completed fourth in Heisman voting in 1976 and second in 1977, racking up greater than 1,600 yards and 14 touchdowns in each seasons. A 2022 School Soccer Corridor of Fame inductee, Miller is second in class historical past in each dashing yards and dashing touchdowns.

4. DE Leslie O’Neal, 1982-85

Leslie O’Neal, a 2020 School Soccer Corridor of Fame inductee, is the best defender in Oklahoma State soccer historical past. His specialty was getting after the quarterback, as he’s the Cowboys’ all-time sack chief with 34. His 16 sacks in 1984 are additionally a faculty document in a single season.

O’Neal was an All-American in each 1984 and unanimously in 1985 , and the Cowboys’ protection dominated. Throughout each seasons, Oklahoma State allowed 20 or extra factors simply thrice. For anchoring an unimaginable protection and being extremely dominant on his personal, O’Neal has greater than earned his spot as Oklahoma State’s all-time finest defender.

3. WR Justin Blackmon, 2009-11

Over the past decade and alter, Oklahoma State has had a knack for producing elite receivers. Dez Bryant discovered essentially the most success on the skilled degree, however Justin Blackmon was truly essentially the most profitable in faculty. Blackmon was a unanimous All-American in each 2010 and 2011, and boy did he earn it.

Blackmon performed sparingly in 2009 however dominated in 2010 with 1,782 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns, each single-season college information. He adopted that up with 1,522 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2011, main Oklahoma State soccer to a top-three end. He gained the Biletnikoff Award each years, turning into solely the second participant to win it twice after Michael Crabtree.

Blackmon is second in class historical past in receptions and receiving touchdowns and third in receiving yards. Though, if he performed a full 4 seasons, he would have shattered all three information. Though he couldn’t escape controversy in his temporary time within the NFL, nobody can deny how dominant Blackmon was at Oklahoma State.

2. RB Thurman Thomas, 1984-87

At practically another college, Thurman Thomas could be the best rusher and possibly even the best participant of all time. Nonetheless, his personal faculty teammate simply so occurs to be arguably the best faculty soccer participant ever. That stated, Thomas was nonetheless a fully unimaginable participant in his personal proper.

Thomas is Oklahoma State’s all-time main rusher with 4,847 profession dashing yards. He additionally rushed for 43 touchdowns, which additionally locations very extremely within the college’s document books. In each 1985 and 1987, Thomas rushed for no less than 1,600 yards and 15 touchdowns, incomes All-American honors in each.

Thomas then went on to have a stellar NFL profession with the Buffalo Payments, even turning into the league’s MVP in 1991. He was then inducted into the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame in 2007 and is certainly one of solely two Oklahoma State gamers in Canton (no factors for guessing the opposite). Merely put, Thomas was among the best working backs to ever play soccer.

1. RB Barry Sanders, 1986-88

Wow, who may have presumably seen this placement coming? Barry Sanders is not only the best participant in Oklahoma State soccer historical past, however most likely the best faculty soccer participant ever. In his first two seasons, Sanders largely performed in Thomas’ shadow, though he was an All-American returner in 1987. In 1988, although, Sanders put collectively the best season faculty soccer has ever seen.

Sanders’ 1988 stats are merely unbelievable: 344 carries for two,628 yards and 37 touchdowns. His yardage and landing marks are nonetheless NCAA single-season information, and he averaged over 230 yards per sport. For sure, he gained the Heisman in a landslide that 12 months.

Sanders then had a tremendous NFL profession with the Detroit Lions, dashing for over 1,000 yards in every of his 10 seasons. Though he retired early, many nonetheless take into account Sanders to be the very best working again to ever play. Regardless of the place he went, Sanders simply went out on the sector and dominated.