Oklahoma State football: Ra'Shaad Samples proves doubters wrong

From a young age, the pressure was there. How could there not be? Ra'Shaad had some athletic sisters but was the only son of one of the region's top football minds. So Ra'Shaad was expected to excel.

“I mean, it's hard for me. He stays on me, and everybody stays on me,” Ra'Shaad said. “I have just have to work extra hard and be as great as I can be.”

So he did. And the hard work paid off.

Despite the ankle injuries, schools lined up for a shot at the 6-foot, 170-pound speedster. Ra'Shaad currently holds more than two dozen Division I offers, including USC, Texas, Ohio State and OU.

But he chose Oklahoma State because of its pass-happy offense and his relationship with the coaches, most notably wideout coach Kasey Dunn.

“It was a family atmosphere. (My dad) liked it a lot. It appealed to all of us,” Ra'Shaad said.

Recently, Kentucky swooped in as a potential suitor, even getting an official visit from Ra'Shaad.

But his father says, as far he knows, “OSU is a done deal.”