In the end, the opportunity to play on the same team as his older brother was too strong for Bixby junior Braylin Presley to turn down.
Braylin and Brennan Presley were members of the Spartan squads that won 6A-II state football championships in 2018 and 2019. Now they’ll try to duplicate that success at the Division I level.
Braylin, a three-star athlete according to Rivals.com, publicly made his college announcement Wednesday on the Bixby High School football field in front of teammates, parents, fans and media.
“First and foremost, I want to thank God for putting me in the position to make this decision of where I will be continuing my athletic and academic career,” said Presley. “I want to thank my parents for everything they’ve done for me. I want to thank my siblings for always pushing me to be the best that I can be.”
“With that being said,” Presley added, “I have decided that I will be continuing and furthering my academic and athletic career at the university of … Oklahoma State University.”
Presley paused for dramatic effect at the end of his announcement before unzipping his jacket to reveal an Oklahoma State t-shirt.
Presley, who has amassed over 5,000 yards, 77 touchdowns and three state titles in his first three high school seasons, chose the Cowboys over Kansas, Texas Tech and Vanderbilt. Missouri, West Virginia, Nebraska and Memphis were among his original eight finalists.
“He’s electric,” Bixby head coach Montgomery told YurView after his team’s most recent state title. “It’s cliché, but your best players play their best in big games, and Braylin did that over and over again. I think he’s proven that he’s an excellent football player and an excellent leader for our team.”
Presley delivered in big games for Bixby this past season. The junior, who also excels in track, had 1,744 yards rushing, 727 yards receiving on 57 catches, and 37 total touchdowns for the undefeated Spartans.
The younger Presley will join his brother, Brennan, on the OSU roster. Brennan, the 2019 Gatorade Player of the Year, just capped off his freshman college football season with an electric performance in a win over Miami in the Cheez-It Bowl.
By committing to the Cowboys, Presley also continues the current Bixby-to-Stillwater pipeline. Braylin is now one of five Spartans currently on the roster or committed to Oklahoma State (WR Brennan Presley, ATH Braylin Presley, DL Brendon Evers, WR Clayton Barbour and CB Jordan Reagan).
College commitments are non-binding. The early signing period for 2021-22 is December 15th.
