Who Will Be Oklahoma State's Next Addition to Ring Of Honor?
Oklahoma State has had legends come through Stillwater throughout its history, and its best are immortalized inside Boone Pickens Stadium.
Since 2020, OSU has added one player to its Ring of Honor inside Boone Pickens Stadium. On Saturday, Leslie O’Neal will become the fifth player to be inducted, joining Thurman Thomas, Barry Sanders, Bob Fenimore and Terry Miller.
With four of the best running backs in OSU history alongside one of the school’s best defensive linemen, the Cowboys will have an interesting decision to make for its potential 2025 addition. Sanders is the most recent player to join the Ring of Honor, playing his final college season in 1988. Considering most of OSU’s greatest success has come in the decades since, a modern addition could be in store.
While someone from the past three decades seems like an obvious choice, it almost certainly will be someone who has not played for at least a decade. Considering the players who would fit that are likely still playing in the NFL, it makes sense to wait a while longer before adding someone such as Mason Rudolph or James Washington.
Top three candidates for OSU’s next Ring of Honor Inductee:
Rashaun Woods
Two decades later, Rashaun is still open. The former Cowboy wide receiver was an All-American while he played at OSU from 2000-03. At OSU, he had 293 receptions for 4,414 yards and 42 touchdowns. His incredible receptions and touchdown catch totals still stand as school records.
His biggest game statistically was a 2003 matchup against SMU, where he caught 13 passes for 232 yards and an OSU record seven touchdowns. However, he is not best remembered for that matchup.
In 2002, Woods torched the No. 3 Oklahoma Sooners in Stillwater, making 12 catches for 226 yards and three touchdowns in a 38-28 win. A year earlier, Woods’ late touchdown catch in Norman ended OU’s national title hopes. While his overall career numbers prove how great he was, Woods’ memorable moments against OSU’s biggest rival will almost certainly get his name in Boone Pickens Stadium in the near future.
Justin Blackmon
Much like Woods, Blackmon is one of the best wide receivers in OSU history. Although Blackmon’s individual success was impressive, he was an integral part of the best season in OSU history in 2011.
As he led the Cowboys to their lone Big 12 Championship, Blackmon dominated the college football scene. He finished his career with 253 catches for 3,564 yards and 40 touchdowns, doing almost all of his damage in his final two years.
Set to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame later this year, he could be the obvious choice, as he will be the sixth Cowboy inducted, joining the five in the Ring of Honor. Also a Heisman finalist in 2010, Blackmon’s career was one of the best by any receiver in recent history.
Brandon Weeden
Still revered as the best quarterback in OSU history by some, Weeden was massive in OSU’s Big 12 Championship season. Playing in Stillwater from 2008-11, the Cowboys’ passing attack powered one of the best offenses in college football.
Throughout his career, Weeden completed 767 passes for 9,260 yards and 75 touchdowns. Ranking in the top three in OSU history in those categories, Weeden is also the program’s all-time leader in completion percentage (69.5%) among players with at least 200 pass attempts.
Weeden had his best year in OSU’s 12-win 2011 season. He had 4,727 passing yards and 37 touchdowns. He had at least 300 yards in nine games, including a career-high 502 yards in a thriller against Kansas State.
READ MORE: Oklahoma State Set to Add Leslie O'Neal to Ring of Honor
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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.