Oklahoma State Lands West Georgia Edge Rusher Malik Charles
Oklahoma State is adding some size along the defensive line.
On Monday, OSU secured a commitment from West Georgia transfer Malik Charles. The 6-foot-5, 255-pound edge rusher could become a key player for the Cowboys in 2025 under new defensive coordinator Todd Grantham.
I wanna thank God for putting me in the position to get an opportunity like this. I wanna thank all the coaches that offered me an opportunity to play for their school. With that being said I have committed to Oklahoma State #GoPokes @CoachRyanOsborn @CoachGundy @CoachTGrantham pic.twitter.com/kFDCpldv7e
— Malik Charles 🇹🇴 (@Malik_Charles_) December 17, 2024
Charles emerged as a star over the past couple of seasons and was a major contributor for West Georgia last season. He finished the 2024 season with 33 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and seven sacks. He also added three quarterback hurries and a couple of pass breakups.
Charles broke out at West Georgia after not getting to contribute much at his previous two stops. He never played for Western New Mexico in 2022 and only recorded four tackles with Northern Arizona in 2023.
While he has not played at the FBS level, he received offers from several other power conference schools, including Arizona State, Texas A&M and Texas Tech. Charles' choice to come to Stillwater could be a sign that OSU has made some good decisions with its recent coaching hires. With another two seasons of eligibility remaining, he could be a name to know in Stillwater for the rest of his career.
OSU’s defense can certainly use players like Charles after their struggles in 2024. The Cowboys ranked among the worst in college football in all major categories, and their lack of strength at the line of scrimmage was a major issue, leading to one of the worst rush defenses in the country.
The Cowboys have already attempted to tackle those issues by bringing in Grantham and some other position coaches as the offseason progresses. While the transfer portal has seen the Cowboys lose some talent and so many others are headed to the next stages of their careers, Charles represents the new class of Cowboys coming in looking to turn things around in Stillwater.
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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.