Oklahoma State Football 2012: Predicting the Pre-Spring 2-Deep Depth Chart

Predicting the Oklahoma State Cowboys' depth chart isn't easy, but someone has to do it.

The Cowboys have a lot to live up to heading into spring practice. Last season was the best in school history, and there are high hopes for next season's rebuilding year.

How good a team is in a rebuilding year is a measure of how good that program is overall. The depth chart has a lot to do with that, and it will be interesting to see who ends up winning certain position battles.

Here's how the spring depth chart will look at first.

Quarterbacks

1. Clint Chelf (junior; 6'1", 201 pounds)

2. J.W. Walsh (redshirt freshman; 6'2", 199 pounds)

3. Wes Lunt (freshman; 6'4", 211 pounds)

This is one of very few positions that have three players listed. The reasoning is that all three of these guys have some shot at playing next season.

Chelf has the edge since he has been there the longest and is probably the most familiar with the offensive system. Walsh is a dual-threat guy who can make plays through the air and on the ground, while Lunt is a tall, traditional quarterback who has a nice arm.

Running Backs

1. Joseph Randle (junior; 6'1", 194 pounds)

2. Jeremy Smith (junior; 5'10", 204 pounds)

Joseph Randle will remain the starter for now and forever, as he should. Smith is a good solid back with great speed, but he isn't as versatile as Randle. Barring an injury, Randle should rush for even more than the 1,200 yards and 24 touchdowns he had last year.

Sophomore Herschel Sims will also get some playing time and showed great talent as a true freshman.

Fullback

1. Kye Staley (senior; 5'10", 236 pounds)

2. David Paulsen (senior; 6'2", 267 pounds)

Staley may be listed as a fullback, but he's got the speed and hands of a talented running back. He provided a spark in key moments for the Cowboys last season and will do so again.

Paulsen will play sparingly, as he's more of a traditional fullback.

Outside Receivers

1. Isaiah Anderson (senior; 5'10", 168 pounds)

2. Tracy Moore (senior; 6'2", 220 pounds)

Both of these guys will start and probably won't be pushed much for their starting jobs. The Cowboys were greatly hurt at this position by the loss of Michael Harrison, who looked like the next great Cowboy wide receiver.

Anderson is a bit small, but is a very talented and dependable wideout. Moore moves out to the outside receiver spot after playing the last two seasons as an inside receiver.

Inside Receivers

1. Josh Stewart (sophomore; 5'10", 170 pounds)

2. Blake Jackson (junior; 6'3", 238 pounds)

Stewart was one of many true freshman who showed flashes of greatness last season. He's one of the fastest guys on the team and has great hands. He'll be a big part of the offense going forward.

Jackson is a JUCO transfer and a huge target. He'll fit nicely in the role that Tracy Moore filled last season.

Offensive Line

Right Tackle

1. Parker Graham (junior; 6'7", 292 pounds)

2. Daniel Koenig (sophomore; 6'6", 295 pounds)

Right Guard

1. Lane Taylor (senior; 6'3", 328 pounds)

2. Gerron Anthony (sophomore; 6'2", 319 pounds)

Center

1. Evan Epstein (senior; 6'3", 291 pounds)

2. Jake Jenkins (sophomore; 6'3", 281 pounds)

Left Guard

1. Jonathan Rush (senior; 6'4", 284 pounds)

2. Brandon Webb (junior; 6'3", 326 pounds)

Left Tackle

1. Michael Bowie (senior; 6'4", 323 pounds)

2. Devin Davis (redshirt freshman; 6'5", 275 pounds)

One thing you can always be sure of is that Oklahoma State will have a deep, talented offensive line. O-line coach Joe Wickline is one of the best in the country, churning out top-tier offensive lines each season. The Cowboys are three-deep at nearly every O-line position.

Defensive Ends

1. Cooper Bassett (senior; 6'5", 259 pounds)

2. Ryan Robinson (senior; 6'4", 246 pounds)

These are the guys who will start. There will probably be a bit of rotation with Nigel Nicholas (senior; 6'3", 269 pounds) getting some time as well.

The Cowboys have to replace two veterans in Richetti Jones and Jamie Blatnick, which won't be easy.

Defensive Tackle

1. Anthony Rogers (junior; 6'3", 293 pounds)

2. Davidell Collins (junior; 6'5", 267 pounds)

The Cowboys will have some nice size up front for their defense with all of the starters on the defensive line being taller than 6'3". The defensive tackle spot will be in rotation a lot, so expect James Castleman (sophomore; 6'2", 296 pounds) and Christian Littlehead (sophomore; 6'2", 312 pounds) to play solid minutes as well.

Linebackers

Star Linebacker

1. Shaun Lewis (junior; 5'11", 222 pounds)

2. Joe Mitchell (junior; 6'3", 216 pounds)

Middle Linebacker

1. Caleb Lavey (junior; 6'3", 240 pounds)

2. Ryan Simmons (redshirt freshman; 6'0", 238 pounds)

Weak-side Linebacker

1. Alex Elkins (senior; 6'3", 222 pounds)

2. Nico Omelas (sophomore; 6'1", 210 pounds)

Not a whole lot has changed for this core of linebackers. All of the starters are exactly the same and will probably stay that way through the regular season.

Shaun Lewis is the star of this group. He has a knack for being in the right place at the right time. All of the Cowboy linebackers possess it, but he seems to most of all.

Secondary

Cornerbacks

1. Brodrick Brown (senior; 5'8", 183 pounds)

2. Justin Gilbert (junior; 6'0", 194 pounds)

Strong Safety

1. Lavocheya Cooper (junior; 6'0", 186 pounds)

2. Zack Craig (junior; 6'1", 193 pounds)

Free Safety

1. Daytawion Lowe (junior; 5'11", 198 pounds)

2. Isaac Maselera (sophomore; 5'11", 183 pounds)

This secondary was one of the most underrated last season, and nearly all of the starters are back. Lavocheya Cooper is the lone newbie in the starting lineup, and he'll have the big shoes of outgoing senior Markelle Martin to fill.

Expect big things out of the other three starters. Brown is a veteran, but Gilbert and Lowe started primarily for the first time last season and both became really good players. Lowe provides really big hits, while Gilbert might be the most talented cornerback the Cowboys have had in a long time.

Special Teams

Punter

1. Quinn Sharp (senior; 6'1", 205 pounds)

2. Michael Reichenstein (junior; 6'4", 212 pounds)

Place Kicker

1. Quinn Sharp (senior; 6'1", 205 pounds)

2. Bobby Stonebraker (sophomore; 6'0", 165 pounds)

Long Snapper

1. Andrew Suter (junior; 6'2", 268 pounds)

2. Connor Sinko (junior; 6'3", 266 pounds)

Holder

Wes Harlan (senior; 5'7", 178 pounds)

Punt and Kick Returner

1. Justin Gilbert (junior; 6'0", 194 pounds)

2. Josh Stewart (sophomore; 5'10", 170 pounds)

There will be very little changes as far as special teams go. Sharp will continue all of the kicking duties. Gilbert continues his return duties, while Stewart steps in permanently for outgoing senior Josh Cooper.

Even the long snapper and holder are the same guys and will be all season long. It's good to have relative consistency in this area during the upcoming season, especially after the Cowboys lost special teams coordinator Joe DeForest to West Virginia.