Thursday night, 4-star Richland (TX) running back Michael Turner Jr. announced his commitment to Baylor.

Turner chose the Bears over Oklahoma State, Washington, SMU, TCU and Utah after narrowing his list to six schools earlier this month. Ranked as the 82nd overall prospect and the fifth-ranked running back in the 2025 recruiting class by On3, Turner also had offers from Oklahoma, Oregon, Missouri and others.

At 6 feet 3 inches tall and 190 pounds, Turner would have been a huge asset to Mike Gundy and the Cowboys in the 2025 cycle. OSU already boasts commitments from 4-star Columbus (TX) quarterback Adam Schobel, 3-star Pflugerville Weiss (TX) running back DJ Dugar, five talented wide receivers and two 3-star tight ends in the class of 2025.

With one running back already on board for Kasey Dunn and company, Turner’s loss isn’t a huge setback for the Pokes, but by bringing in one of the nation’s top running backs, Oklahoma State would have added another top talent.

Currently, the Cowboys’ 2025 cycle features two top prospects, Schobel and 4-star Port Arthur Memorial (TX) edge rusher Michael RilesBlue-chip prospects are high school players who are rated as 4-star and 5-star recruits.

Additionally, Turner choosing an in-conference opponent makes the decision an even bigger loss for the Pokes, as they will now have to compete with the talented running back during his collegiate career. As a junior, the 4-star tailback rushed for 1,625 yards and 22 touchdowns, leading the Royals to an undefeated regular season campaign in 2023.

Despite losing Turner, Oklahoma State still has 17 commitments in the 2025 recruiting class and appears well on its way to putting together a solid class with less than five months left until the early signing period.

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