Cowboys Wide Receiver De'Zhaun Stribling Will Add to Oklahoma State's Offensive Potential
It's no secret Oklahoma State has a high ceiling for the 2024 college football season. They also have quite a high floor, considering their veteran experience combined with elite talents and having a history of being a consistent program. Still, reaching their high floor will be much easier than hitting their ceiling.
Wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling could play a key role in the Cowboys reaching their potential for the season. He played four games last season -- a four-game stretch which saw the Cowboys go 2-2 and rotate three quarterbacks in each of their first three games.
After the brutal start a season ago, Stribling suffered a season-ending injury and had to watch the team's turnaround in a cast on the sideline.
"I was trying to make a big play on a goal ball and landed on my hand and broke my wrist," Stribling said of the injury. "It's one of those freak things that happens. It's football. You can't get mad at anybody. It's football."
How was it watching the Cowboys' miraculous turnaround which ended in a Texas Bowl win after losing the Big 12 title game?
"It hurt my pride a little bit," Stribling said. "Selfishly I wanted to be out there and help the team and be out there with the boys. It was a good experience for me. Be a spectator. Watch what's happening and ultimately coach them up."
Now, with spring football underway, Stribling is nearly fully recovered and ready to play at a high level on the football field again. Playing alongside other talented wide receivers like Brennan Presley and Rashod Owens, Stribling is going to have a big opportunity to produce alongside his teammates.
"[Winning] the Big 12 Championship is one of my goals, especially since I didn't play in it last year," Stribling said. "The bigger thing is like I've never been a part of a winning team or a team that has won a championship. I really want to be a part of something like that. We have to do what we can do and just have fun with it."
With returners like Ollie Gordon -- the nation's top running back -- Alan Bowman, the receiving corps, a stout offensive line and plenty of depth all around, the Cowboys' offense has huge potential. Reaching that potential could see Oklahoma State playing in college football's 12-team playoff field. In doing so, Stribling could be put on the map of NFL scouts and coaches, which is one of his goals while in Stillwater.
Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy seems to believe Stribling has potential to play pro football.
“He’s got enough ability to play beyond this level if he continues to work and practice and take care of his body and all the things that are important to get to the next level,” Gundy said. “He’s willing to put the work in. We’ll get him ready. We’ll train him. We’ll put him in that position. He does have enough of that ability to go to the next level.”
If Stribling truly has NFL talent, it's hard to imagine he doesn't play an integral role in what could end up being a stacked offense in Stillwater.
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Kade has been covering a wide variety of teams ranging from the NFL to the NBA and college athletics since joining Sports Illustrated's On SI in 2022