Replacing McGee is key

Surprise, surprise.. Brodrick Brown is around the football

by Brandon Chatmon
bchatmon@opubco.com
Follow me on Twitter @BChatmon

With Oklahoma State spring football past the halfway point, it’s a great time to take a closer look at the Cowboys roster. During the final days of spring football I complete my position-by-position look at the Pokes.

Cornerback

Headliner: Junior Brodrick Brown. The YouTube sensation was one of the most pleasant surprises of 2010. He displayed consistency, toughness and always seemed to be around the football. This season, he’s looking to become the type of cornerback teams try to avoid.

Next in line: Sophomore Justin Gilbert. He has the complete package. The only thing that can keep Gilbert from developing into an elite cornerback is himself. Likely the fastest player on the team, Gilbert showed he has playmaking ability with his kick returns for touchdowns against Oklahoma and Baylor.

Could surprise: Redshirt freshman Larry Stephens. Maybe the most natural cornerback on the roster, Stephens is undersized and needs to bulk up and get more physical. If he does that, he could become a contributor.

Spring goals: OSU is looking to find a starter opposite Brown with Gilbert and Devin Hedgepeth battling it out. Regardless, the Cowboys look like it will have three solid cornerbacks heading into fall camp. That’s not enough. Stephens and junior Andrae May need to step up and earn a contributing role as fourth and fifth cornerbacks. In the era of spread offenses, you can’t have enough corners and if neither guy steps up, then freshman signees Miketavious Jones and Jonovan Griffin will be given the chance to step in.