Projecting the Post-Spring Oklahoma State Football Cornerback Depth Chart

The spring football game on Saturday marks the official end of spring ball. And while not a lot has taken place of note in regards to the depth chart with players on campus, there will be a shakeup because of several players not yet in Stillwater.

OSU has landed two graduate transfers this week — Aaron Cochran of Cal and Adrian Baker of Clemson — bolstering two of the Cowboys’ thinnest positions just in time for the summer.

So with that in mind, we’re taking a fresh look at the cornerback depth chart and how it projects headed into the summer.

With Ramon Richards being moved to safety, it obviously opens the door for others to step up and take on larger roles. He was far and away the most experienced returning cornerback, signaling OSU’s confidence in its young group of inexperienced corners.

As you can see I’ve listed Clemson transfer Adrian Baker at the No. 1 spot. Before he tore his ACL and missed Clemson’s national championship season, Baker was an emerging star in the secondary for the Tigers. He appeared in 13 games and made three starts in 2015, notching two interceptions and 15 tackles in a reserve role. With a year of recovery and rehab under his belt, Baker has the opportunity to step in and play right away for a title contender.

“I think they have an opportunity to compete for a national championship,” Baker told ESPN’s Jake Trotter. “I’m hoping I can come in there and help.”

Past Baker is where lines get blurred for me. OSU’s young cornerback corps of A.J. Green, Madre Harper and Rodarius Williams are all wild cards to me. But of the three, I think Green is the most technically sound. He played in a reserve role last season in spurts and did well.

Despite the fact that he might not be as twitchy and fast as Rodarius, I think his fundamentals and footwork will boost him to a starting spot. But he’ll be competing with veteran Darius Curry up until opening kickoff. Curry won’t wow you with his athleticism like Justin Gilbert or lock down the opposing team’s No. 1 like Kevin Peterson, but there’s something to be said about an experienced player who understands the system and plays with confidence.

Like my man Kyle Cox wrote, Curry’s fifth year in Stillwater might be his most important on the gridiron.

As for Rodarius Williams and Madre Harper, I think they will both see the field in a reserve capacity. Harper scored the first touchdown of the 2016-17 season on a muffed punt, and saw his playing time primarily on special teams as a true freshman while also seeing limited time in a reserve role.

Both he and Williams, who redshirted last season, figure to be in the mix for playing time. Both are uber-talented and once highly touted high school recruits. In my opinon, they are scratching the surface of what they will become as defensive backs at OSU. They will be thrust into larger roles this year, and if they can learn and adjust as the season progresses, the secondary could go two-deep comfortably.

Determining the depth chart — who will start, who might redshirt, etc. — won’t take place until August. Right now getting Baker on campus and developing the young guys is priority No. 1 for Glenn Spencer and his defensive unit.