Which players have signed to Oklahoma State football's 2023 recruiting class?
Here’s a look at the players committed to Oklahoma State football in the class of 2023:
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Oklahoma State football 2023 recruiting class signees
Tykie Andrews, WR, Enid
Andrews, a second-team All-State selection by The Oklahoman, picked up his scholarship offer in early January and committed less than a week later. The 6-foot, 185-pound wideout, who starred for former Cowboy great Rashaun Woods at Enid High School, had 1,551 yards and 17 touchdowns on 135 receptions as a senior.
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Jack Endean, OL, Tucson, Arizona
A 6-foot-6, 285-pound tackle prospect from Tanque Verde High School, Endean shows good athleticism and a knack for getting downfield to attack second-level defenders. He picked the Cowboys over offers from California and his hometown program, Arizona.
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Ike Esonwune, LB, Manor, Texas
Previously committed to Tulsa, Esonwune reopened his recruitment in early December, visiting OSU and committing a few days later. A 6-foot-2, 215-pound linebacker, Esonwune has a long frame with good speed and agility. He also played receiver during his high school career.
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Zane Flores, QB, Gretna, Nebraska
OSU landed a big quarterback commitment in the 6-foot-3, 200-pound three-star recruit from Gretna, Nebraska. Flores’ profile jumped after he led his team to a state championship in 2021 while throwing for 2,885 yards, 26 touchdowns and just seven interceptions while completing 70% of his passes. He threw for 3,117 yards this season, leading Gretna to a state runner-up finish. Flores chose the Cowboys over Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Pittsburgh and Washington among others.
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Jaedon Foreman, DE, Del City
The Cowboys jumped on Foreman early, and he became the first commitment of the 2023 class, making it official in November 2021. The 6-foot-5, 250-pound Foreman can fight off blocks at the line of scrimmage or get past them with slippery moves at the point of attack.
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Kamryn Franklin, S, Oak Grove, Louisiana
The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Franklin is a two-way standout at Oak Grove, playing receiver and safety. A fierce tackler with a good ability to pursue the ball, Franklin was offered by a variety of SEC programs, like LSU, Mississippi State, Arkansas and Tennessee, but settled on the Cowboys in November 2021.
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Camron Heard, WR, Houston
A quarterback at Furr High School in Houston, Heard has a skinny frame at 6 feet and 160 pounds, but his elite speed and elusiveness make him an intriguing receiver prospect at the next level. Those skills showed most in his rushing ability, where he accounted for more than 1,000 yards as a junior, averaging 11.4 yards per carry. He picked OSU out of a collection of 16 offers, including those from Arkansas, Texas Tech and Tulsa.
Jarrett Henry, OL, Trinity Valley College
A late addition to the signing class, Henry announced his commitment on April 16 after one season at the junior-college level. A native of Palestine, Texas, the 6-foot-6, 310-pound offensive tackle prospect has four years to use his final three years of eligibility.
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Hudson Kaak, punter, Seymour, Australia
Head coach Mike Gundy was pleased with the impact of Australian punter Tom Hutton, whose career is over. So the Cowboys went back Down Under for another one, gaining a commitment from Kaak, a 21-year-old product of ProKick Australia, the same organization that connected Hutton with the Pokes. Kaak is listed at 6-foot-1 and 210 pounds and is known for his powerful left leg.
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Isaiah Kema, OL, Wolfforth, Texas
A 6-foot-4, 298-pound interior lineman from Frenship High School, Kema was selected to the U.S. Army All-America game and had more than 20 offers, picking the Cowboys over a list that included Nebraska, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Cal, BYU and Kansas. Kema is set to begin a two-year Mormon mission in January, meaning he will return to begin his football career in 2025.
R.J. Lester, CB, Fort Smith, Ark.
The Cowboys snagged the 6-foot-1, 185-pound Lester, a product of Northside High School in Fort Smith who had previously been committed to Kansas State. Lester is long and athletic with good ball skills, and is a solid replacement for Jelani McDonald, the Waco, Texas, cornerback who decommitted from OSU in November.
Ricky Lolohea, DL, Euless, Texas
Coming out of Trinity High School — which also produced OSU freshman running back Ollie Gordon — Lolohea is a versatile and athletic 6-foot-4, 307-pound defensive lineman with the ability to play on the interior or the edge. An emerging recruit, Lolohea had offers from Texas Tech, San Diego State, SMU and others.
Jamison Mejia, OL, 6-5, 270, Broken Arrow
A first-team All-State selection by The Oklahoman, Mejia was the final addition to OSU’s 2023 recruiting class, announcing his decision on National Signing Day. He was credited with 88 pancake blocks and did not allow a sack in his senior season.
Iman Oates, DT, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M
With a surprise announcement on the morning of signing day, Oates added to the depth of Oklahoma State’s interior defensive line. A 6-foot-3, 300-pound product of Tulsa Edison High School, Oates emerged during his two seasons at NEO. Set to enroll in January, Oates will beef up the middle of the OSU defensive line, which will lose both of its starters from this past season.
Jalen Pope, WR, Aledo, Texas
The speedy 6-foot, 180-pound slot receiver prospect piled up impressive statistics as a senior, helping Aledo High to a 14-2 record and a Class 5A-1 state championship with a 52-14 win over College Station. Pope had 229 yards receiving in the final, which set a state record for receiving yards in a Texas state championship game. Pope had 1,252 yards and 14 touchdowns in his senior season. He landed an OSU offer late in the process and picked the Cowboys over Tulsa, Arkansas State, the military academies and multiple Ivy League schools.
JaKobe Sanders, OL, Stillwater
A powerful interior lineman, the 6-foot-3, 310-pound Sanders played center for the Pioneers, helping them to a Class 6A-II state championship. He received his first Division I offer — from OSU — in December 2021 and committed a month later. His grandfather, Robert Turner, was a Cowboy fullback from 1973-76, blocking for legendary tailback Terry Miller.
Dylan Smith, CB, Aubrey, Texas
A versatile prospect from Braswell High School, located about 15 miles east of Denton, Texas, Smith made his official visit to Stillwater for the spring finale on April 23 and committed just over six weeks later. The 5-foot-11, 170-pound Smith picked the Pokes over offers from the likes of Nebraska, Colorado, Memphis, Kansas, Houston and others.
Gage Stanaland, OL, Tuscola, Texas
An under-the-radar prospect at Jim Ned High School, Stanaland is a 6-foot-5, 285-pounder with a good mix of power and agility. His recruitment by OSU accelerated rapidly. He made a visit to Stillwater on Nov. 12, announced that he had received an offer on the afternoon of Nov. 16 and followed with the news of his commitment less than an hour later. Stanaland had offers from Abilene Christian, Louisiana Tech, Navy and New Mexico State.
Poasa Utu, LB, Kennedale, Texas
A previously unranked recruit who was upgraded to a three-star prospect after committing to the Cowboys, Utu caught the attention of OSU coaches at a summer camp in June, earning a scholarship offer. A 6-foot-1, 205-pound athlete, Utu has played all over the field in high school. He was a linebacker, quarterback and tight end until moving to defensive end full-time as a sophomore. An aggressive defender, he's also a sprinter on the track team. Last season, he had 97 tackles — 41 for a loss — and 19 sacks while forcing two fumbles and intercepting one pass while leading Kennedale to the Class 4A D1 playoffs. He chose OSU over an offer from Division II Incarnate Word.
Sesi Vailahi, RB/WR, Salt Lake City
A versatile and talented ballcarrier, Vailahi was a late addition to the Cowboys’ recruiting class as the only running back in the group. A three-star prospect, Vailahi played running back and receiver at West High School in Salt Lake City, where he had 240 rushing yards, 607 receiving yards and 13 total touchdowns as a senior. He picked OSU over BYU, Nevada, Utah State and others.
Lardarius Webb Jr., DB, Jones College
A former Nebraska commitment who went the junior college route at Jones College in Ellisville, Mississippi, Webb committed to the Cowboys on the same day a plethora of scholarship players entered the transfer portal. He brings playmaking ability, grabbing nine interceptions in 20 career games. This season, he had six interceptions, six pass breakups, a quarterback hurry and 28 tackles in 10 games. The 5-foot-10, 175-pound Webb can play both cornerback and safety. A native of Opelika, Alabama, Webb is the son of former NFL cornerback Lardarius Webb, who won a Super Bowl during his nine seasons with the Baltimore Ravens. "Lil Webb" chose OSU over Mississippi State and Kansas.
Tywon Wray Jr., S, Smyrna, Ga.
An under-the-radar prospect from Campbell High School, Wray had offers from Florida International, Austin Peay and others before the Cowboys made their move. Wray is a fast, physical safety with a good frame at 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds. His tape shows a player who isn’t afraid to come into the box and make hits, but also has coverage skills.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma State football recruiting: OSU Cowboys' 2023 signees
