STILLWATER — Growing up in Sachse, Texas, Tyler Lacy said as a kid he wanted to play in Texas’ burnt orange; Saturday he’ll play against it.

Lacy committed to Oklahoma State the spring of his junior year in high school. He said the Texas coaches talked with him throughout his process, but they waited too late to make him feel wanted.

“They didn’t really pull the trigger until the last day before signing day,” Lacy said Tuesday. “That kind of got me a little upset, but hey, I’m here. I love it here. I’m glad to be here.

“There was no thought (to flip his commitment) at all. I was fully go, all the way. Just give me the papers, let me sign them. It’s a done deal.”

He wasn’t the typical Texas prospect. A three-star recruit, Lacy was the No. 842 player in the 2018 class. According to 247Sports, Texas brought in 25 guys ranked higher than him in that cycle.

It has worked out well for Oklahoma State.

Lacy has 13 tackles on the season, including five tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks, to go along with five quarterback hurries and a forced fumble. His Pro Football Focus season grade of 79.5 ranks second among Big 12 edge rushers behind Oklahoma’s Nick Bonitto.

After redshirting in 2018, Lacy has started every game he has been available for. He started 10 games as a redshirt freshman in 2019, missing three because of injury. And he started all 11 of OSU’s games in 2020.

In his career thus far, Lacy has 65 total tackles, 15 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks.

Listed at 6-foot-4, 295 pounds, Lacy has NFL size. OSU defensive coordinator Jim Knowles said this preseason he thinks Lacy will be a pro player.

Defensive line isn’t a spot that Cowboys usually have a lot of pros at, but the times are certainly changing. Since 2010, OSU has had three defensive linemen drafted: Emmanuel Ogbah (2016), Vincent Taylor (2017) and Jordan Brailford (2019). Lacy will be draft eligible after this season, and a good second half to the year could make a strong case for him to be drafted.

But first, he’ll head to Austin and try to wreak havoc against the team he grew up cheering for.

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