OSU’s Most Intriguing Player Headed into 2016

Oklahoma State elected not to sign safety in the 2016 recruiting class, because the position appears to be loaded with talent headed into 2016.

The Cowboys return all-everything Jordan Sterns for his senior year and soon-to-be redshirt junior Tre Flowers, who showed promising development as a hit-stick safety who can deliver punishing blows like this Bedlam truck:

Ready to watch more hits like this from @_Slimm7 at the @SugarBowlNola ????? https://t.co/oDncSg3Oe0

— Oklahoma State (@TheOkiePokie) December 19, 2015

But the newest addition to the 2016 playing roster is a player who was forced to sit out the 2015 season due to transfer rules. Derrick Moncrief, a safety transfer from Auburn, was ranked as the No. 1 safety in the nation coming out of junior college, played one year at Auburn before making a change to Stillwater.

With the Tigers, he played all 13 games and recorded 27 tackles with a forced fumble and pass breakup. And at 6-foot-2, 220-pounds, Moncrief has the ability to join Sterns and Flowers as the enforcer in the defensive backfield with the cover skills of a defensive back and the size of a linebacker.

The secondary was an area of weakness at times last season, and I believe a great deal of that was due to the lack of depth available. True freshman Kenneth McGruder was forced into playing time and filled in admirably, but the grind of the Big 12 certainly doesn’t provide any rest for a thin secondary. Moncrief, who only has one year of eligibility remaing, could be a key piece of Glenn Spencers puzzle heading into the 2016 season.

Check out some of his highlights from his freshman campaign at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. Scroll to about the 1:08 mark and you’ll see his true ability to cover in space and deliver some big time hits: