Oklahoma State Quarterbacks last 10 years cover Spencer Sanders, Taylor Cornelius, Mason Rudolph, Daxx Garman, Clint Cheff, and J. W. Walsh.
Dru Brown (2019) and Shane Illingworth (2020-21) served as the backup QBs in the football program.
Since the turn of the millennium, only four QBs from the football program have found their way into the National Football League.
Pittsburgh Steelers signed Donovan Woods in 2008 as an undrafted free agent. He played the 2008 and 2009 seasons with them. He was a part of the Super Bowl XLIII winning team.
The other three QBs are:
- Zac Robinson, 250th pick of 2010
- Brandon Weeden, 22nd pick of 2012
- Mason Rudolph, 76th pick of 2018
Robinson spent the 2010 season with the Seattle Seahawks and the Detroit Lions. He joined the Cincinnati Bengals a year later and remained there till 2013.
Since 2019, he has been with the LA Rams as a coach under different roles. He was part of the coaching staff that won the Super Bowl LVI.
Oklahoma State Quarterbacks Over The Years
Oklahoma State Quarterbacks list from the last decade is given below:
| Name | Years |
| J. W. Walsh | 2012 to 2015 |
| Clint Chelf | 2012 to 2013 |
| Daxx Garman | 2014 |
| Mason Rudolph | 2014 to 2017 |
| Taylor Cornelius | 2018 |
| Spencer Sanders | 2019 to 2022 |
Spencer Sanders
Sanders is a product of Billy Ryan High School. He had a brilliant senior year, earning 54 TDs from 3,845 passing yards.
The Texas native ran for 1,380 yards and scored sixteen times. He won the AP Player of the Year, Texas Mr. Football, and Gatorade Player of the Year.
As a four-star recruit, he landed at Oklahoma State University. From 2019 to 2022, he started 42 matches and threw 9,553 yards with 67 TDs.
An additional eight TDs came for the youngster while rushing for 1,956 yards.
He was the MVP in the 2020 Cheez-It Bowl and Fiesta Bowl.
Spencer moved to Ole Miss Rebels on January 19, 2023.
Mason Rudolph
Rudolph was a teenage sensation for Northwestern HS. He made an astounding 132 passing TDs from 10,986 yards.
As a four-star recruit, he chose the Cowboys and earned his first start due to J. W. Walsh and Daxx Garman’s injuries.
He started three matches as a true freshman and threw 853 yards for six TDs.
He was the sole starter for the next three years and started in 38 games.
His collegiate career record is 13,267 passing yards for 90 passing TDs and 17 rushing TDs. He compiled 894 successful passes in 1,415 attempts at a conversion rate of 63.1%.
After getting drafted by the Steelers in the 2018 draft, he will stay there for his fifth year in the NFL.
Oklahoma Quarterback History
Oklahoma State Quarterback history includes Bob Cook, Jack Hartman, Bobby Green, Rusty Hilger, Mike Gundy, Charlie Weatherbie, Ronnie Williams, and others.
Hilger‘s arrival helped the Cowboys reach the post-season in 1981. It was their first appearance in five years.
The 1983 seasons saw Rusty return from injury and pose an 8-4 win-loss record. The 1983 Bluebonnet Bowl awarded him the MVP prize.
Likewise, the 1984 team took off brilliantly, defeating the top-tier Arizona State Sun Devils 45-3. They finished the year 10-2, winning the Gator Bowl opposite South Carolina Gamecocks.
His time at the university places him at the pinnacle among the QBs, and considers him one of the best to play for them.
Another important name is Brandon Weeden. He attended the university from 2008 to 2011.
His most impressive campaign was the 2011 season, where he helped the team record 11-1 win-loss stats. They were ranked No. 3 in the BCS standings.
Weeden made five records that year. The most passing yards in a season (4,727), total offense (4,625), pass completed (408), passing completion rate (72.3%), and single-game pass completion (47, vs. Texas A&M Aggies).
His time with the college team helped him make 75 passing TDs in 9,260 yards. He had a passer rating of 157.6 with a 23-3 win-loss record as a starter.
NFL Players From Oklahoma State
NFL players from Oklahoma State are Dake Meinert, Walt Garrison, Dexter Manley, Jason Gildon, Jamal Williams, Jon Kolb, Kevin Williams, and more.
The 2023 NFL Draft saw two players from the institution drafted into the league. It takes the total tally to 112.
The Jacksonville Jaguars took DE Tyler Lacy in the 130th spot, while the Los Angeles Rams drafted DB Jason Taylor II as the 234th pick.
Of all the players who formerly played for the Cowboys, only two have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Barry Sanders and Thurman Thomas.
Sanders was the 1989 No. 3 overall pick who played for the Detroit Lions from 1989 to 1998. He was the 1997 NFL MVP, a 10-time Pro Bowler, and has various other accolades.
Likewise, the Buffalo Bills selected Thomas as the #40 pick in 1988. He played for them till 1999 and ended his football career at Miami Dolphins in 2000.
He was the 1991 NFL Offensive Player of the Year, 1991 NFL MVP, and a five-time Pro Bowler.
Some other NFL players who once donned Oklahoma State’s Orange and Black uniform are:
- Leslie O’Neal (1986-1999)
- Terry Miller (1978-1981)
- Mike Pettigrew (2009-2016)
- Dez Bryant (2010-2020)
- R. W. McQuarters (1998-2008)
- Antonio Smith (2004-2016)
- Walt Garrison (1966-74)
- Brandon Weeden (2012-2018)
- Vicent Taylor (2017-2022)
- Chris Carson (2017-2021)
- Kevin Peterson (2016-2021)
- Russell Okung (2010-2020)
- Tyler Patmon (2014-2018)
- Lane Taylor (2013-2021)
- Dan Bailey (2011-2020)
- Michael Hunter (2016-2017)
- Blake Jarwin (2017-2021)
- Devin Harper (2022-present)
- Emmanuel Ogbah (2016-present)
- Chuba Hubbard (2021-present)
- Justice Hill (2019-present)
- Jaylen Warren (2022-present)
- Josh Sills (2022-present)
Oklahoma State QB Depth Chart
Oklahoma State starting QB is Alan Bowman. The senior arrived at Oklahoma State University via the transfer portal on January 9, 2023.
The 23-year-old hails from Grapevine, Texas. He attended Grapevine High School and was the 2016 District 8-5A Overall MVP.
He made 3,570 passing yards for 38 touchdowns as a high school senior.
He enrolled in Texas Tech University as a three-star recruit and battled McLane Carter and Jett Duffey for the starting QB role.
Due to Carter’s ankle injury, Bowman started the week 2 match against the Lamar Cardinals. In the three years (2018 to 2020) with the Tech Red Raiders, the youngster played 19 matches and threw 5,254 yards for 17 TDs.
In 2021, Alan transferred to Michigan Wolverines and found himself in a pickle, as the team already had Cade McNamara and J. J. McCarthy battling for the starter role.
In the two years at Michigan, he played five fixtures and threw 69 yards for a single TD.
In 2023, Bowman has already surpassed his Wolverines record in two games. He threw 193 yards where his 24/40 passes successfully found the receiver.
Gunnar Gundy
The 6-foot and an inch taller Redshirt Sophmore is the second in line for the starting QB role. He has the highest pass completion rate (61.8%) among the three.
Head coach Mike Gundy has used all three QBs in the season’s first three games to see who best suits the team. So, the contention of the starting QB role is very much alive.
Mike is the father of Gunnar. Despite getting multiple scholarships from FBS colleges, the youngster became a walk-on for the Cowboys.
The junior Gundy has already registered 202 passing yards and a TD. His passer rating is 121.4.
He went to Stillwater HS and played under Tucker Barnard. His HS record was 491 complete passe in 740 tries and 7,689 passing yards for 90 TDs.
Garret Rangel
Garret is a redshirt freshman who played four games in 2022 before redshirting the year. He started in three fixtures and made 711 passing yards for four TDs.
The individual is an HS graduate from Lone Star. He played under Jeff Rayburn and recorded 9,333 passing yards with 101 TDs.
The second year with the Cowboys can transform him into a household name. He has thrown 172 yards for two scores, the most by any.
Rangel has the best passer rating of 124.3 among the three contenders.
Seeing how Mike manages and gets the best out of these three talents will be exciting.
One thing is for sure: the head coach cannot rely on handing them divided playtime. It will hamper player’s personal growth, team coordination, and performance.
We can hope that the coach decides on a QB pretty soon.