Why Oklahoma State football sees upside in RB signees Jaden Allen-Hendrix, Rodney Fields

STILLWATER — Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy only met Jaden Allen-Hendrix a week ago. And Gundy immediately noticed the frame of the running back recruit.

Six feet, 2 inches and 225 pounds is hard to miss.

“He’s a potential 245-pound back,” Gundy said. “He’s just kind of scratching the surface.”

That’s what the Cowboys are banking on.

OSU landed signatures from 17 high school football players on Wednesday’s National Signing Day. The class featured a talented quarterback, impressive linemen and some strong local flare.

But the addition of running backs Allen-Hendrix and even Del City star Rodney Fields Jr. really give the Cowboys potential to boost a backfield that already features Doak Walker Award winner Ollie Gordon II.

More: Oklahoma State football flips LaDainian Fields from TCU on National Signing Day

“All backs do but Ollie over the last two months has taken a lot of hits, so the physicality that (Allen-Hendrix) brings to the table and then obviously with Rodney he gives us some of that but a little more side-to-side,” Gundy said.

Fields was a bit of a known asset around the state. His physicality, even at 5-9 and 185 pounds, makes a difference with his speed.

But Allen-Hendrix was an unknown until he visited campus last week and committed less than 24 hours before signing his National Letter of Intent.

A star at Irmo High in Columbia, South Carolina, where he averaged 9.5 yards per carry, he held offers from Charlotte and several FCS programs. There was no interest from Power Five programs deep in the heart of SEC country.

“Maybe they just thought, ‘We can go get other players in other areas, we’re not as high about him,’” Gundy said. “Now, I’m going to guess they evaluated him as being not fast enough, because I don’t know any other reason why.

“He was 229 pounds when he was here a week ago and he has a really, really big lower body, so when he spends 18 months in the weight room with Coach Glass with what he has, he’s going to go to 240. Let’s just say that he’s a 4.6-guy, 4.7-guy, he’s going to drop two tenths off his 40 because of the massive body that he has to develop.

“So, I envision him being 240 and running in the 4.5s in a couple of years.”

More: Can Oklahoma State's Mike Gundy continue developmental recruiting method in portal era?

Oklahoma State football 2024 recruiting class

Here’s a look at Oklahoma State’s football recruiting class of 2024:

• Name, Position, Height, Weight, Hometown (School)

• Jonathan Agumadu, LB, 6-1, 220, McKinney, Texas

• Jaden Allen-Hendrix, RB, 6-2, 225, Columbia, South Carolina (Irmo)

• Landyn Cleveland, S, 6-0, 185, Mansfield, Texas (Legacy)

• LaDainian Fields, DB, 6-1, 175, Del City

• Rodney Fields, RB, 5-9, 187, Del City

• Josh Ford, TE, 6-6, 250, Stillwater

• Tre Griffiths, WR, 6-3, 205, Keller, Texas

• Caleb Hackleman, OL, 6-6, 275, Texarkana, Texas (Pleasant Grove)

• Chauncey Johnson, OL, 6-4, 295, Lonoke, Arkansas

• Temerrick Johnson, OLB/DE, 6-3, 205, Midlothian, Texas (Heritage)

• David Kabongo, S, 5-11, 180, Trophy Club, Texas (Byron Nelson)

• Nuku Mafi, OL, 6-4, 295, Salt Lake City (West)

• Willie Nelson, DB, 5-9, 170, Longview, Texas

• Armstrong Nnodim, DL, 6-2, 250, Mesquite, Texas (Horn)

• Jacobi Oliphant, DB, 6-4, 175, St. Louis (University)

• Maealiuaki Smith, QB, 6-4, 210, San Mateo, California (Junipero Serra)

• Luke Webb, DE, 6-3, 280, Deer Park, Texas

• Gunnar Wilson, LB, 6-2, 210, Melissa, Texas

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma State football signing day Jaden Allen-Hendrix offers upside