Oklahoma State Defensive Players To Watch vs. Texas in Week 7

The Cowboys defense is one of the best in the Big 12 this season

Matt Galatzan | Oct 14, 2021

Following a tough loss to the Oklahoma Sooners last weekend, the Texas Longhorns will return to Austin to face the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Saturday, hoping to get back on track.

The Cowboys, who are coming into the game sitting at 5-0 on the season, have goals of their own, however, as they look to take down the Longhorns for the first time since the 2018 season.

Defensively, Oklahoma State features one of the best and most experienced units in the Big 12 and one that could cause the Longhorns some trouble this Saturday.

Make sure to stick with LonghornsCountry.com through our season preview series, where we will analyze every opponent on the Longhorns schedule in 2021.

DB Kolby Harvell-Peel

The Cowboys' top returning defensive starter from last season, and a highly-projected NFL Draft pick in 2022, Kolby Harvell-Peel is the leader of the Cowboys secondary and will look to make things difficult on Casey Thompson and the Longhorns passing game.

So far in 2021 Harvell-Peel has 27 total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and two interceptions.

LB Malcolm Rodriguez

The team's leading returning tackler from 2020, linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez had 82 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, three sacks, three pass deflections, five quarterback hurries, and two forced fumbles last season.

This season, he has been just as productive, sitting with 55 total tackles, five tackles for loss, seven QB hurries, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and one defensive touchdown.

Rodriguez could arguably be the best linebacker in the Big 12.

DE Brock Martin

One of the top pass rushers for the Cowboys, senior Brock Martin leads the team in sacks with 2.5 this season, to go along with 4.5 tackles for loss and three quarterback hurries.

Martin is battling injuries, but should he be able to go on Saturday, could be a major impact player against a suspect Texas offensive line.

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Published Oct 14, 2021

MATT GALATZAN

Matt Galatzan is the Managing Editor and Publisher of Texas Longhorns On SI and Texas A&M Aggies On SI and a long-time member of the Football Writer’s Association of America. He graduated from the University of Mississippi, where he studied integrated marketing communications, with minors in journalism and business administration. Galatzan started in the sports journalism industry in 2014 covering the Dallas Mavericks and SMU Mustangs with 247Sports. He then moved to Sports Illustrated's Fan Nation network in 2020, eventually being taking over as the Managing Editor and Publisher of the Longhorns and Aggies sites a year later. You can find Galatzan on all major social media channels, including Twitter on @MattGalatzan.