One of Oklahoma State's younger players is getting preseason recognition.
Redshirt freshman running back Rodney Fields was named to the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award Watch List, the Maxwell Football Club announced Tuesday.
Fields, an Oklahoma native, rushed for 99 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries as a true freshman in 2024. He played in four games, including against Texas Tech where he scored a 19-yard touchdown.
The 5-foot-9 running back is one of three Big 12 players on the watch list, which features 37 players.
Fields showcased his growth from Year One to Year Two in the Orange and White spring game back in April as he rushed for 92 yards and a touchdown on four carries.
"My speed is a very big ability that I have and I always use it," Fields said after the spring game. "I wouldn't say it was easier. It's always things you can improve on. But there's things I got better at."
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Fields played his senior season at Del City High School in 2023 where he rushed for 1,156 yards an 18 touchdowns on 103 carries. He also caught 12 passes for 257 yards and two touchdowns as he helped the Eagles to a 5A District 3 championship and a 5A state championship appearance with a 13-1 overall record.
Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy said that Fields is the running back that took the most hits last fall in practice and in games.
"He's a tough one," Gundy said in the spring. "He took more hits than anybody. I think he took 100 hits last year in August. So he's took a lot of hits."
The Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award has been presented to the College Freshman Player of the Year since 2018 and is named in honor of Shaun Alexander, a former standout at the University of Alabama and the 2005 NFL MVP with the Seattle Seahawks.
The award will be presented at the Maxwell Football Club Awards gala, along with several of the other top awards in college and professional football.
Fields is one of five running backs who were featured on the two-deep Oklahoma State released Monday, along with Kalib Hicks, Trent Howland, Freddie Brock IV and Sesi Vailahi.
"Got a bunch of them that can carry the ball and at some point as we progress through the season, somebody will take the reins based on their ability to take care of the football and be productive," Gundy said of the running backs last week. "There's times we've had a dominant running back it has been really good and guys that come in and give them a few reps. There's been years where we've had guys that are almost equal in reps. We just need to be productive and need to stay healthy."
Oklahoma State's 2025 season begins Thursday night against UT Martin on ESPN+ at 6:30 p.m.