Two Oklahoma State Football Players Join Wrestling Team
Two Oklahoma State Football Players Join Wrestling Team
Former high school wrestling standouts and current Oklahoma State football players Malcolm Rodriguez and Brock Martin have joined the Cowboy wrestling team.
According to Scott Wright of The Oklahoman, Oklahoma State football stars Brock Martin and Malcolm Rodriguez have joined the Cowboy wrestling team.
On the gridiron this season, Rodriguez started all 13 games for Oklahoma State at safety and recorded 103 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and an interception he returned for a touchdown. The junior was named Second-Team All-Big 12 and won the OSU Leslie O'Neal Award given to the best defensive player on the team.
A year ago, Oklahoma State head football coach Mike Gundy had high praise for Rodriguez and credited his tackling ability to his wrestling background.
Coach Gundy giving some love to two-time Oklahoma state wrestling champion Malcolm Rodriguez.
— FloWrestling (@FloWrestling) September 12, 2018
CC: @FloFootball pic.twitter.com/J0TEaBiHqv
Check out Rodriguez's pick-six that helped the Cowboys knock off then #23 Iowa State.
Malcolm Rodriguez hits on the pick-six, and #okstate is up a TD with 7 minutes left. Incredible. pic.twitter.com/hl6WfjxRUW
— Pistols Firing (@pistolsguys) October 26, 2019
Defensive end Brock Martin was also a key component of the Cowboys defense last season appearing in all 13 games recording 29 tackles, five tackles for loss, and recovering a fumble.
Earlier this season Rodriguez and Martin combined to make a stop on Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger.
Weekly reminder that Brock Martin and Malcolm Rodriguez were multiple-time wrestling state champions and just completely blew up this third down play. #okstate pic.twitter.com/SgcLoY9RqY
— Seth Duckworth (@Seth_Duckworth) September 22, 2019
While both Rodriguez and Martin haven't wrestled since February of 2017, they combined to win five Oklahoma high school state championships during their prep careers.
In his article, Wright reported that both players received permission from Gundy and head wrestling coach John Smith before joining the team after winter break.
According to the Oklahoma State football roster, Rodriguez tips the scales at 205 while Martin checks in at 242. Returning All-American Dakota Geer is currently ranked #9 at 197, but Oklahoma State has struggled this season at heavyweight. Austin Harris and Cornelius Putnam are the two heavyweights who have appeared in matches so far this season for the Cowboys and are a combined 4-9 with all four wins coming from Harris.
Rodriguez and Brock do not currently appear on the Oklahoma State wrestling online roster but could provide John Smith with some interesting options at heavyweight down the stretch of the season.