Oklahoma State University Athletics
Position Preview: Safeties
August 14, 2021 | Cowboy Football
STILLWATER - As the Oklahoma State football team prepares for the 2021 season, safety may be the most well-stocked position group on the roster.
Kolby Harvell-Peel, Tre Sterling and Tanner McCalister are all senior, multiple-year starters who have proven their worth. The trio has combined for 59 starts, 396 tackles, 10 interceptions, 39 pass breakups and 35.5 tackles for loss over the past three years.
"We have a lot of experience on the back end, and there's a lot of confidence," McCalister said. "We all have our own swagger and we all like flying around to make plays."
Harvell-Peel has been named to nearly every preseason watch list possible for a defensive back, including the Jim Thorpe Award, honoring the nation's top defensive back, and the Chuck Bednarik Award, which is given to the nation's most outstanding defensive player. A two-time All-Big 12 honoree, the College Station, Texas native returned to Oklahoma State after testing the NFL draft waters and is expected to be a leader of the veteran secondary.
Sterling and McCalister have been slightly under the national radar, even though their production has matched that of Harvell-Peel's in several ways. In 2020, Sterling was an honorable-mention All-Big 12 selection after leading the Cowboys in tackles for loss and ranking third on the team with 74 tackles. He also tied for first with two interceptions. Being left off the preseason watch lists didn't surprise him, though, as he has been overlooked his whole life and consistently used it as motivation.
"It's been that way since I can remember," Sterling said. "I think it would be weird to be on the list rather than be off of it, so it's going to make me play even harder than what I was going to. At the end of the year I'll be on it."
The production from the starters alone makes the secondary a strong suit, but the wealth of OSU safeties extend far beyond those three. Jason Taylor II proved his playmaking ability with two touchdown returns in 2020, while Thomas Harper has worked his way into playing meaningful snaps on defense, thanks to his versatility and ability to play multiple positions.
"At the safety position, we are almost three deep," Sterling said. "We have depth like no one else in the country."
Several others have played on special teams, including Kanion Williams, Gabe Lemons and Sean Michael Flanagan. Nick Session comes out of redshirt, and OSU newcomers Ty Williams and Trey Rucker got a step ahead after participating in spring practice with the Cowboys.
OSU's highest-ranked recruit in the 2021 class, Kendal Daniels, is now in the mix as well and has an opportunity to see playing time early while learning behind three of the best safeties in the Big 12.
Kolby Harvell-Peel, Tre Sterling and Tanner McCalister are all senior, multiple-year starters who have proven their worth. The trio has combined for 59 starts, 396 tackles, 10 interceptions, 39 pass breakups and 35.5 tackles for loss over the past three years.
"We have a lot of experience on the back end, and there's a lot of confidence," McCalister said. "We all have our own swagger and we all like flying around to make plays."
Harvell-Peel has been named to nearly every preseason watch list possible for a defensive back, including the Jim Thorpe Award, honoring the nation's top defensive back, and the Chuck Bednarik Award, which is given to the nation's most outstanding defensive player. A two-time All-Big 12 honoree, the College Station, Texas native returned to Oklahoma State after testing the NFL draft waters and is expected to be a leader of the veteran secondary.
Sterling and McCalister have been slightly under the national radar, even though their production has matched that of Harvell-Peel's in several ways. In 2020, Sterling was an honorable-mention All-Big 12 selection after leading the Cowboys in tackles for loss and ranking third on the team with 74 tackles. He also tied for first with two interceptions. Being left off the preseason watch lists didn't surprise him, though, as he has been overlooked his whole life and consistently used it as motivation.
"It's been that way since I can remember," Sterling said. "I think it would be weird to be on the list rather than be off of it, so it's going to make me play even harder than what I was going to. At the end of the year I'll be on it."
The production from the starters alone makes the secondary a strong suit, but the wealth of OSU safeties extend far beyond those three. Jason Taylor II proved his playmaking ability with two touchdown returns in 2020, while Thomas Harper has worked his way into playing meaningful snaps on defense, thanks to his versatility and ability to play multiple positions.
"At the safety position, we are almost three deep," Sterling said. "We have depth like no one else in the country."
Several others have played on special teams, including Kanion Williams, Gabe Lemons and Sean Michael Flanagan. Nick Session comes out of redshirt, and OSU newcomers Ty Williams and Trey Rucker got a step ahead after participating in spring practice with the Cowboys.
OSU's highest-ranked recruit in the 2021 class, Kendal Daniels, is now in the mix as well and has an opportunity to see playing time early while learning behind three of the best safeties in the Big 12.
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