Virginia Transfer Michael Diatta Could be Perfect Fit for Cowboys
The Oklahoma State Cowboys continue to light up the transfer portal this offseason. The Cowboys are tied for first with 17 transfer portal commits in the 2024-25 cycle. Defensive coordinator Todd Grantham has only been on the job for three weeks and has added yet another key addition to the rebuilt Cowboys defense.
Oklahoma State recently received a commitment from Virgina defensive lineman Michael Diatta. He recorded 31 tackles this season along with one pass break up and a half of a sack in backup duty for the Cavaliers of Virgina.
• @boonepickenstate BREAKING 🚨🚨🚨: Virginia defensive lineman Michael Diatta is transferring to Oklahoma State and signed with the Cowboys.
— Cowboysbleedorange (@cowboysbldorang) December 27, 2024
Chose OSU over UCLA and Vanderbilt. pic.twitter.com/FJfcsnCVJW
Diatta was a three-star recruited out of high school where he attended Cane Ridge in Antioch, TN. He was just the type of player the Cowboys have been looking for this offseason. The defensive lineman stands at 6-foot-5 and tips the scale at 265 pounds. Diatta is the type of player who can step in and make an immediate impact on Cowboys defense which struggled to slow anyone down a season ago.
He has played in 32 games over the last three seasons and is looking for a fresh start with Oklahoma State in 2025. He had a 62.9 Pro Football Focus defensive rating in 2024. Diatta considered UCLA, Vanderbilt, and Wake Forest just to name a few. He currently has two years of eligibility remaining.
Virginia defensive lineman Michael Diatta is transferring to Oklahoma State and signed with the Cowboys on Thursday https://t.co/996y62jEpQ pic.twitter.com/II7wq67G5o
— Brandon Huffman (@BrandonHuffman) December 27, 2024
“They have a winning culture there,” Diatta said. “Coach (Mike) Gundy’s resume speaks for itself. Nineteen-straight winning seasons and there’s a real need for me there. They emphasized that I’m going to come in and truly help their program and be a difference maker,” said Diatta in an interview with On3.
Diatta is the fourth defensive lineman the Pokes have picked up out of the transfer portal this month. They have commitments from West Georgia defensive end Malik Charles, UTEP defensive lineman Kyran Duhon and Temple defensive tackle Demerick Morris.
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Taylor Skieens has been an avid sports journalist with the McCurtain Gazette in Idabel, Oklahoma for seven years. He holds the title of Sports Editor for one of the oldest remaining print publications in the state of Oklahoma. Taylor grew up in the small lumber town of Wright City Oklahoma where he played baseball and basketball for the Lumberjax.