Gavin Freeman Set to be Key Contributor for Oklahoma State

Oklahoma State is looking for a bounce-back season, and one of its returning receivers could play a key role.

Known for his elusiveness in the open field, Gavin Freeman is back for his second year at OSU and looking to make an impact for the Cowboys. While his 2024 campaign lasted only a few games, he could become one of the top options downfield with the veterans in front of him last year moving on.

Last season was Freeman’s first in Stillwater after playing two seasons with the Oklahoma Sooners. While the Cowboys’ season didn’t go as planned with a 3-9 record, that didn’t stop Freeman from working behind the scenes. Playing in just the first four games, Freeman took a redshirt to give him two years of eligibility heading into 2025.

"It's tough for sure, just because you know you're not going to play, but you've just got to have a mindset every practice that you want to get better,” Freeman said. “You're not getting better technically for this season but for next season. So, you want to help everybody else around you."

Last season, Freeman still made some impact in his time on the field. He had six catches for 45 yards and returned two punts and eight kickoffs to combine for 194 return yards. While he caught passes from veteran quarterback Alan Bowman in 2024, he will be among the top receivers for whoever can break through in a four-man battle for the starting spot.

While the quarterback battle is likely to drag on deep into fall camp, Freeman doesn’t seem to be worried about who will be throwing to him and the rest of the receivers.

"They can all play,” Freeman said. “All four of them could play anywhere. Working with them is easy because they understand what you do and they understand what you do, so it's just getting the chemistry down."

Although it seems clear that all four of them have the talent to make an impact and compete for the starting job, it will be up to Freeman and the receiving core to ensure the passing game is a success. With Kasey Dunn out after five years as the offensive coordinator, Doug Meacham’s offense could feature a much more high-flying attack, compared to a more run-centered offense OSU has seen at times over the past few years.

"It's going to be my fourth year in the air raid type of system, so we've got a couple of new things, but everything else was pretty smooth, so it's nice,” Freeman said.

With Freeman’s familiarity with this type of offense both in Norman and Stillwater, he could quickly become a top option for the Cowboys next season.