Oklahoma State Lands All-MAC Linebacker in Transfer Portal

The Cowboys have a strong addition to their defense for next season.
Aug 31, 2024; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes running back Quinshon Judkins (1) runs past Akron Zips linebacker Bryan McCoy (40) during the first half of the NCAA football game at Ohio Stadium.
Aug 31, 2024; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes running back Quinshon Judkins (1) runs past Akron Zips linebacker Bryan McCoy (40) during the first half of the NCAA football game at Ohio Stadium. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Oklahoma State could have its next defensive star.

On Sunday, Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports reported that Akron transfer Bryan McCoy is heading to OSU. The linebacker has spent his first three seasons with the Zips and grown into a star.

In 2024, McCoy finished with 120 tackles, good for the ninth-most in the FBS. Along with being one of the top 10 in college football, that mark was good enough to place him third in the MAC. He also finished his junior campaign with two tackles for loss and earned a spot on the All-MAC second team.

In 2023, McCoy played closer to the line of scrimmage and thrived to earn a spot on the All-MAC third team as a sophomore. He finished that season with 94 tackles, six tackles for loss and a sack. McCoy also forced a fumble and had a scoop and score against Morgan State.

McCoy leaves Akron with career numbers of 237 tackles and eight tackles for loss. As he comes into Stillwater, McCoy could quickly become one of the top members of the OSU defense.

McCoy also marks the first big commitment for OSU’s new defensive coordinator, Todd Grantham. A veteran who has spent decades coaching and spent time at a few big schools, Grantham is the guy OSU trusts to turn the defense around after being one of the worst in the country last season. With McCoy heading to Stillwater, Grantham’s defense has an anchor at linebacker, a position where OSU lost some of college football’s best.


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Ivan White
IVAN WHITE

Ivan is a sports media student at Oklahoma State University. He has covered OSU athletics since 2022 and also covers the OKC Thunder for Inside The Thunder and Thunderous Intentions.