For Oklahoma State to be an elite team, they need to have elite position groups, at least one of which needs to be among the best in the country.
Last season, OSU went 10-4 and made it to the Big 12 finals, and while the offense got most of the headlines, the Cowboys defense played well as well.
Defensive coordinator Brian Naldo is in his second year at OSU and will be mentoring one of the best linebacker corps in the country. When Bleacher Report predicted the best linebacker in each conference, David Kenyon named OSU the best in that division in the Big 12.
It's no surprise that the Cowboys' linebacker corps is highly rated, and OSU will be entrusting its defense to arguably the best linebacker duo in the nation.
Of course, the centerpieces of that group are Nick Martin and Collin Oliver. Martin had one of the most impressive seasons in the country last season, leading the Big 12 in tackles with 140 and sixth in the FBS. His 83 solo tackles were also good for third in the country.
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Martin has a knack for getting into the backfield, recording 16 tackles for loss and six sacks. Martin also helped create turnovers last season, forced and recovered a fumble and recorded two interceptions.
Meanwhile, Oliver completes the Cowboys' one-two punch at linebacker as one of the players most capable of closing in on the quarterback. Though his numbers have dropped since moving from the defensive line, Oliver recorded six sacks last season and played on the line at times.
As a linebacker, Oliver was a force to be reckoned with, finishing last season with a career-high 73 tackles and tying his career high with 15.5 tackles for loss. Oliver forced the most fumbles in the Big 12 last season, stealing four fumbles and recovering one.
Besides Oliver and Martin, OSU has depth at linebacker, with Justin Wright returning from injury and potentially being a key part of OSU's defense next season.
The Cowboys hope to play in the Big 12 Championship again in 2024 and make their first-ever College Football Playoff appearance, and if the linebackers can continue to play at the high level they did last season, OSU will be in good position to achieve its goals.
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