QB Mason Rudolph and WR James Washington have announced they will return to #OKstate for their senior seasons.
— Kyle Fredrickson (@kylefredrickson) December 27, 2016
With the Alamo Bowl just two days away, Oklahoma State junior QB Mason Rudolph and junior WR James Washington have put to rest any rumors concerning the status of where they will be playing next year: they have decided (together) to forego the upcoming NFL Draft and return to Stillwater for their senior seasons.
The announcement came shortly before the Oklahoma State Offense Press Conference for the Alamo Bowl via Twitter.
!!! #okstate #GoPokes pic.twitter.com/6UN2poyrU6
— OSU Cowboy Football (@CowboyFB) December 27, 2016
Rudolph and Washington were both considered to be early-round draft prospects for the upcoming NFL draft, but according to Rudolph, they both have other plans first. Rudolph said, “We’re both really looking forward to not only (the Alamo Bowl) and capping off the season right with a victory, but also just a great off-season, just making sure that we are improving our game mentally and physically and then just kind of putting an exclamation point on both of our careers.” Washington added, “I look forward to coming back and having another year with (Mason) and everyone else, and plus we get degrees. It’s worth it, so why not?”
Oklahoma State’s offense ranked 17th in total yards and 18th in scoring offense in the nation this season. With the return of Rudolph and Washington to lead a team that was already going to be stacked offensively, the Cowboys will once again be primed and ready to make a run with important postseason implications.