Who are Oklahoma State football's top prospects for the 2024 NFL Draft?
STILLWATER — With the NFL Draft a couple weeks in the rearview mirror, it seems like a good time to look ahead to Oklahoma State’s pro prospects for next year.
Two former Cowboys were drafted last month and six more signed undrafted free-agent contracts with invites to rookie camp.
Though there’s a full season of football between now and then that could change the projections, OSU looks to be in similar shape for the 2024 draft.
The difference is that the most likely draftable candidates are harder to define for next year.
A year ago, defensive end Tyler Lacy seemed like the obvious top prospect, and it was clear that Jason Taylor II would be in the running as well. That’s how it played out, with Lacy going in the fourth round to Jacksonville and Taylor in the seventh round to the Rams.
So, who’s next? Here’s a look OSU’s top candidates for the 2024 draft:
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Korie Black, senior, cornerback
At 6-foot, 185 pounds, Black has an NFL body and the athletic profile that scouts will appreciate. His coverage skills showed further development last fall in his first season as a starter. He’s still looking for his first career interception, but had four pass breakups last season and has been a solid tackler both on defense and special teams throughout his career.
Black hasn’t redshirted, and he has a super-senior year available if he chooses to use it. But in terms of projecting to the next level, he has the most favorable NFL makeup among OSU’s senior class.
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Anthony Goodlow, super-senior, defensive lineman
Cut from cloth similar to Lacy, the 6-foot-5, 283-pound Goodlow would benefit from a productive season at the Big 12 level. Like Lacy, he’s probably best suited for a 3-4 base defense in the NFL, though he’ll have the opportunity to show some versatility in the fall, which would be a benefit.
The Del City native has shown his ability to make play behind the line of scrimmage in his career. Once a safety in his early high school years, Goodlow has grown into the position and still shows the athletic ability that made him a respected linebacker recruit when Tulsa signed him in 2018.
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Justin Wright, super-senior, linebacker
Based on productivity, Wright is similar to former Cowboy Malcolm Rodriguez, though at 6-foot-2 and 244 pounds, Wright doesn’t have the physical limitations Rodriguez faced.
Making the move from Tulsa will be a new test for Wright, who has 254 career tackles, including 101 last year. Facing Big 12 running backs will provide a glimpse into whether Wright has the speed to stick in the NFL.
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Alan Bowman, super-senior, quarterback
Bowman looked to be on an early NFL track during his three years at Texas Tech, where he threw for more than 5,300 yards from 2018-20. But the last two years as the third-stringer at Michigan leave some unanswered questions.
If he can replicate his Tech numbers, including the 67.1% completion rate and nearly 2-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio — and also stay healthy for the full season — he could work his way into the back end of the draft.
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Dalton Cooper, redshirt senior, offensive tackle
At 6-foot-7, 311 pounds, the Prague native has an ideal frame and graded out well at the Group of Five level. Over three seasons at Texas State, he allowed just seven sacks on 1,446 pass plays, according to Pro Football Focus statistics. In 2,457 total snaps, he was penalized just 15 times.
If he can keep that up and hold his own against Big 12 pass rushers, Cooper should earn an NFL opportunity. He also has an extra year of eligibility after this season to improve his status.
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Wild card: The juniors
Looking at the roster as a whole, OSU’s top two players with NFL futures are going to be in their third year: junior linebacker Collin Oliver and redshirt sophomore safety Kendal Daniels. While both will be in line for big productivity jumps in the change to Bryan Nardo’s 3-3-5 defense, it’s a little early to project them as draft candidates a year from now.
The 6-foot-2, 235-pound Oliver is moving from defensive end to outside linebacker, where his short-area quickness should be even more impactful. But this will be his first real experience at the position, so he’ll have to prove himself significantly to draw real NFL attention.
The 6-foot-4, 203-pound Daniels slides into arguably the most important position in this defensive scheme at the middle safety spot. He’s big and versatile, but is still learning and has yet to play a full season as the starter.
If you’re looking for one more junior who could elevate himself, offensive guard Jason Brooks Jr. had a solid first season at OSU after transferring from Vanderbilt. Overcoming some early penalty issues and an illness that cost him time, he became OSU’s most consistent blocker last season. He’s got the body to be a good interior blocker at the next level, but will need to show further development to make that jump right away.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Who are Oklahoma State football's top prospects for 2024 NFL Draft?
