ESPN College Football

ESPN The Magazine had a fascinating feature looking back at the past 25 No. 1 high school recruits , where they are now and what the ranking meant to them. With apologies to Vince Young, there aren't a ton of Big 12 talents on the list, but there have been plenty of great recruits to come through the Big 12. We took a look on Thursday at how the All-Big 12 team stacked up as recruits, and you saw quite a mixed bag.

Well, it's the same for the recruits who came to campus with high rankings and high profiles. Going back to 2006, here's how every Big 12 commit from the ESPNU 150 turned out. We'll eventually get to 2010 and the current class, 2011, around signing day, but here's how the 2009 class breaks down. This class' careers are certainly still in progress, and they're readying for their third seasons on campus, so as long as they're still at said campus, it's probably unfair to label anyone on this list a bust just yet.

• Big 12 signees in the 2006 ESPNU 150
• Big 12 signees in the 2007 ESPNU 150
• Big 12 signees in the 2008 ESPNU 150

No. 11: Garrett Gilbert, QB, Texas. Forced into action in 2009 BCS National Championship Game after a Colt McCoy shoulder injury. Played a little over three quarters and threw two touchdown passes and four interceptions in the loss. Became the starter in 2010 as a sophomore and threw for 2,744 yards, 10 touchdowns and 17 interceptions.

No. 27: Mason Walters, C, Texas. Missed most of 2009 season with a foot injury and redshirted. Started 11 games at right guard, becoming one of the Longhorns' best offensive linemen.

No. 29: Paden Kelly, OT, Texas. Redshirted in 2009 and appeared in five games on the offensive line in 2010.

No. 35: Christine Michael, RB, Texas A&M. Ran for 844 yards and 10 touchdowns as a true freshman and was named Big 12 offensive freshman of the year. Missed final five games of 2010 season with a broken leg, but still ran for 631 yards and four touchdowns before the injury.

No. 54: Jamarkus McFarland, DT, Oklahoma. Played in 2009 as a reserve before becoming a starter as a sophomore in 2010. Finished season with 23 tackles, five tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.

No. 72: Chris Whaley, RB, Texas. Redshirted in 2009 before being moved to H-back before the 2010 season. Appeared in 10 games -- nine on special teams and three at running back.

No. 76: Darius Jones, ATH, Baylor. Redshirted in 2009. Caught two passes for 26 yards in 2010. Also returned four kicks for 73 yards.

No. 77: Thomas Ashcraft, OG, Texas. Redshirted in 2009. Appeared in three games on the offensive line and 10 on special teams in 2010.

No. 78: Marcus Davis, CB, Texas. Transferred to Oregon in June 2010 after an arrest in November 2009.

No. 80: Gabe Lynn, S, Oklahoma. Redshirted in 2009. Appeared in eight games in 2010 and recovered a fumble.

No. 83: Ronnell Lewis, LB, Oklahoma. Garnered notoriety after a series of big hits on special teams as a freshman and earned consistent playing time in the Sooners' rotation at linebacker and defensive end as a sophomore. Made 37 tackles, five tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and an interception and fumble recovery. Scored a touchdown.

No. 85: Tom Wort, LB, Oklahoma. Missed all of 2009 after a knee injury in fall camp. Moved into Sooners' rotation at linebacker in 2010, making 66 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.

No. 93: Barrett Matthews, TE, Texas. Played in 13 games as a tight end and on special teams in 2009. Started five games at tight end in 2010 and caught 10 passes for 47 yards and a touchdown.

No. 100: Justin Chaisson, DE, Oklahoma. Redshirted in 2009. Withdrew from school and went back home just before 2010 season began.

No. 105: Kevin Brent, S, Oklahoma. Redshirted after a shoulder injury in 2009. Did not record a stat in 2010.

No. 107: Sheldon Richardson, DT, Missouri. Did not qualify academically and enrolled at College of the Sequoias in California. After a two-year stay, he re-signed with Missouri as the nation's No. 3 JUCO prospect in December 2010. Hoped to enroll for 2011 winter semester, but has yet to do so.

No. 121: Tariq Allen, LB, Texas. Redshirted in 2009 and did not play in 2010. Left the team after the season.

No. 138: Dexter Pratt, RB, Oklahoma State. Redshirted in 2009 and left the team before the 2010 season.

No. 149: Alex Okafor, DE, Texas. Played in 24 games and became a starter at defensive tackle in 2010. Made 22 tackles, 2.5 sacks and three tackles for loss.

A day after it lost a heavily recruited running back from 2009, Oklahoma State gained one for its 2011 class.

Herschel Sims, a 5-foot-10, 190-pounder from Abilene, Texas, committed to the Cowboys on Thursday, turning down offers from Oklahoma, Texas A&M and USC, among others. Sims is on the 2011 ESPNU 150 Watch List.

On Wednesday, running back Dexter Pratt left the program after just one season.

Sims seems to fit the scatback mold that is better suited to new offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen's system.

Sims has been clocked at 4.43 in the 40 and rushed for 8.9 yards per carry last season. Scout.com ranks the running back as the No. 16 player in the country. He gives the Cowboys their ninth commitment for the 2011 class, and their second among ESPNU 150 Watch List members.

Quarterback J.W. Walsh, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound dual-threat quarterback that should rank among the top QBs in Texas, committed to Oklahoma State in February. Walsh is a Denton, Texas, native and lists a 4.4 40 time on Rivals.com.

Redshirt freshman running back Dexter Pratt has decided to leave the Oklahoma State program after one redshirt year, team officials confirmed on Wednesday.

Pratt came to Oklahoma State as the No. 15 running back in the country according to Scouts Inc., and No. 139 on the 2009 ESPNU 150.

The team didn't release the reason for Pratt's exit, but it seems pretty simple. Perhaps personal reasons are involved, but my best guess is he doesn't want to play in new coordinator Dana Holgorsen's offense. The offense will get shifty backs like Kendall Hunter and Travis Miller the ball in space and allow them to make linebackers and defensive backs miss one-on-one in space.

Pratt is a 6-foot-1, 224-pound bruiser. Oklahoma State won't completely abandon running between the tackles, but it sounds like it's not going to be where running backs make most of their yardage. Add to that Pratt not even playing the traditional running back position, and it makes sense. Instead of fighting for time with Hunter, he's behind senior Bryant Ward (also just under 225 pounds) at a second running back spot.

Oklahoma State's depth chart this spring removed the tight end position in favor of a fourth receiver and removed the fullback position in favor of the second running back position where Pratt sits on the depth chart.

That's not a position change, per se, and I'm not entirely sure how the role of the second running back differs from the first, but it seems likely that Pratt didn't like it. At least he tried out Holgorsen's system.

Both sides should come out of this fine. Pratt didn't play last season, but he's clearly talented, and shouldn't have trouble finding a team who wants him. He didn't sign up to play in this offense, and no coach is going to blame him for transferring. Before signing with the Cowboys, Pratt had scholarship offers from Texas, Oklahoma, Texas A&M and Nebraska. The Navasota, Texas, native originally committed to LSU before reneging and heading to Stillwater.

Oklahoma State still has plenty of depth at running back. Hunter, a senior this season, is also backed up by redshirt freshman Jeremy Smith. Miller, a sophomore, was one of the spring's top performers for the Cowboys before sitting out most of the spring game after taking a big hit from safety Markelle Martin.

New Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen arrived in Stillwater in January. A student of departed Texas Tech coach Mike Leach, Holgorsen said then he came to call the plays.

Today, the Cowboys released their preseason depth chart, and regardless of who is on it, where they’ll be lining up suggests the spread is officially in place at Oklahoma State.

Last season, the Cowboys lined up three receivers and a tight end. This spring's depth chart lists two inside receivers and two outside receivers.

Junior Hubert Anyiam and sophomore Justin Blackmon will start as wide receivers. Holgorsen’s inside receivers will be junior Josh Cooper and sophomore Tracy Moore.

Former All-American Kendall Hunter remains the starter at running back after missing extended time in 2009 because of an ankle injury.

The fullback position has also disappeared. In its place, a second running back spot stocked with a pair of 220-plus pound running backs, likely to be used in short-yardage situations or as blockers on third down.

Those slots went to Bryant Ward, a senior from Stillwater and Dexter Pratt, a freshman.

No surprise at quarterback, where junior Brandon Weeden enters the spring as the starter. Freshmen Clint Chelf and Johnny Deaton enter the spring as co-backups.

Holgorsen came to Oklahoma State via Houston, where he crafted college football’s best offense behind quarterback Case Keenum, who spearheaded a Houston team that beat the Cowboys, 45-35, in Stillwater last season.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Oklahoma State

The Cowboys' signing class can be found here.

Recruits: 23

Breakdown: 19 high school, four junior college.

Positions: 5 DL, 4 OL, 4 DB, 3 WR, 3 LB, 2 RB, 1 QB, 1 FB

Where they came from: Oklahoma 7, Texas 7, Georgia 3, Mississippi 2, Indiana 1, Missouri 1, Arkansas 1, Virginia 1.

The stud: RB Dexter Pratt of Navasota, Texas. The bullish 225-pounder has already arrived on campus and could have some spot duty behind Big 12 rushing leader Kendall Hunter in the Cowboys' backfield. Pratt was ranked as the nation's 15th-best running back by Scouts Inc., and projects to become a workmanlike back at the next level. He'll start at running back and might even get a look on defense in the future because of his athleticism.

Recruiting-class sleeper: DE Anthony Rogers of North Little Rock, Ark., was an early commitment to Mississippi State who reneged after Sylvester Crooms resigned. He's still a little raw, but Oklahoma State coaches like his athleticism and his ability to fit in either a 4-3 or 3-4 defense.

The one who got away: CB Demontre Hurst of Lancaster, Texas, was an early commitment for the Cowboys who would have filled a need in the secondary. He changed his mind late in the recruiting process and opted instead for a chance to play at Oklahoma.

Needs addressed: Linebacker, defensive line, wide receiver.

Didn't get it: Cornerback.

Scouts Inc. grade: C+ (fifth in the Big 12, fifth in South Division).

My take: The Cowboys took advantage of last season's strong season to gain a foothold in Oklahoma as well as expand their national profile. Coach Mike Gundy got some key players, but really could have used Hurst.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

The power of national notoriety was noticeable early in the recruiting period for Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy.

Recruits started calling Gundy and his assistants after they were intrigued watching them during the Cowboys' 9-4 2008 season that featured several nationally televised games.  

Linebacker Jordan Barnes of Fort Wayne, Ind. -- not normally an Oklahoma State recruiting hotbed -- was one of those players.

"He had seen us play on TV several times and we got a call early in the morning out of the blue from him," Gundy said. "We don't traditionally go in Indiana. But we looked him up and found out he was a good player and a good student. We did our research on him and found out he's a good person. He came down here and visited and loved Oklahoma State and loved Stillwater and we ended up signing him."

Gundy said last season's success got him into homes that he might not have been able to crack earlier in his coaching career with the Cowboys.

"When you  stay ranked in the top 25 and you're on the ESPN scroll and you're playing on national TV a lot, people see you," Gundy said. "That exposure is worth a lot of money. It's worth a lot to your future and recruiting and even enrollment at the university. And he's an example of what could happen."

Oklahoma State traditionally recruits mainly in Oklahoma and Texas. But the Cowboys lured recruits from eight different states in their incoming class, including Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Virginia as well as Oklahoma and Texas.

The Cowboys did especially well in Oklahoma where they picked off seven recruits. It was their most Oklahoma recruits since 2003.

"We were very excited about signing a big number for us in the state of Oklahoma," Gundy said. "We feel like high school football in the state of Oklahoma was very good. And the number of players we were able to recruit, sign and bring into our program made us happy as a coaching staff. We're excited about those guys."

The 23-member class is headed by running back Dexter Pratt of Navasota, Texas. Pratt, a bruising 225-pound tailback who has already entered school this semester, was ranked 138th among the ESPNU 150 and was Scouts Inc.'s 15th-best running back in the nation.