The Oklahoma State Cowboys flipped a defensive recruit for the third time this week, only this time they did it against Saturday’s opponent.

DJ Williams, a three-star edge rusher who at one time was committed to the Iowa State Cyclones, announced his commitment to the Cowboys on Friday with a social media post. He's the third defensive record the Cowboys have nailed down in as many days.

The Cowboys (5-2, 3-1 in Big 12) and the Cyclones (3-4, 1-3) face each other at 6 p.m. Saturday in Ames, Iowa. But the Cowboys already have a win going into the weekend.

He follows two other flips for the 2027 class —J’lynnd Kellow, a three-star cornerback from Willis High School in Willis, Texas; and Bryson Brown, a three-star linebacker from Stillwater, Okla. They were committed to Mississippi State and Baylor, respectively.

OSU Adds to the Edge

Per 247Sports (subscription required) ranks him as the No. 69 edge rusher in the country and the No. 31 overall recruit in Alabama. He preps at Clay-Chalkville High School in Pinson, Ala. He visited Iowa State in June and committed shortly thereafter. Mississippi State and Wake Forest were the only other power conference schools on Simmons.

For most of this recruiting cycle, the offense has been ahead of the defense. The Cowboys nailed down several quality offensive recruits early in the process but did land a four-star defender in state when Choctaw (Okla.) linebacker Israel Hammons committed to the program.

After landing a commitment from another in-state four-star player, Jenks, Okla., offensive lineman Odaefe Oruru, the Cowboys were quiet until the day of the Houston game two weeks ago when Franklin Road Academy (Nashville, TN) defensive lineman Keilan Neal committed.

This week, the commitments have been all about the defense. By flipping Kellow, the Cowboys will have a new cornerback to develop next year, a position where they’re expected to lose at least one starter in Mo Horn.

Oklahoma State expects to have significant turnover at linebacker, which makes Kellow an important get. Both Ethan Weslowski and Tate Romney are in their final years of eligibility. The only starting linebacker positioned to return in 2027 in Isaiah Chisom.

Both of OSU’s edge rushers are out of eligibility this season, too. Jaleel Johnson — in his fifth year with the Cowboys — and fifth-year Florida State transfer James Williams are both out after this season. So, OSU needed talent there, too, giving Williams a spot to develop.

The rest of the defensive commits are Broken Arrow (Okla.) safety Bryson Brown; Baton Rouge (La.) Catholic edge rusher edge rusher Jayden Vessell; and Trinity (Euless, Texas) High School safety Chayce Davis.