All-state receiver Deckard chooses NEO over OSU in pursuit of future success

Feb. 8—High school football players nationwide solidified their college choices Wednesday by signing binding letters of intent.

While some athletes had previously announced their choices, others — like Claremore senior Gage Deckard — finalized their decisions on the big day.

According to signing day material provided to the Progress, as well as subsequent conversations with assistant athletic director and football coach Jarrett Hurt, Deckard had chosen to take a preferred walk-on offer, also known as a PWO, from Oklahoma State University in Stillwater.

This offer meant that though he'd be joining the program with a guaranteed roster spot but no financial assistance initially, there would be a chance to earn a scholarship in the second season.

To those who know Deckard, this came as no surprise. The 6-foot-1, 175-pound senior receiver has always had aspirations of playing NCAA Division I college football, particularly as a Cowboy.

It was seemingly a dream come true for Deckard, who led the state in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns in 2023 while helping the Zebras to their first semifinal appearance since 1987. From his speed to his catching ability and even yards after catch, Deckard showcased his potential for Division I college football.

However, despite the allure of his dream school, something weighed heavily on Deckard's soul. He felt a sense of settling with the PWO route.

So, with only just over 12 hours remaining until signing his letter of intent, he informed Hurt of his intention to flip his commitment to Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College (NEO) in Miami.

NEO is a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association, which often serves as a buffer for high school athletes who want to develop their skills further before moving on to the NCAA Division I ranks.

The Norsemen have a track record of developing players for Division I programs, sending 104 players to bigger opportunities since 2000, according to neoathletics.com. Fifteen of those players — which is a majority — went on to OSU, which bodes well for Deckard's dreams.

Of course, Deckard wouldn't turn down Division I offers outside of OSU. He expressed his hope of catching the attention of Division I colleges after honing his skills at NEO.

"It gave me better opportunities in the future," Deckard said of his flip to NEO. "I'm just going to go there and hope that Division I colleges take a chance on me. OSU has always been the school that I want to go to, but I feel like if I go to NEO and develop, maybe I'll end up pulling an offer from them. NEO is going four wide this year, so that's a great place for me considering I'm a receiver. When I went on my visit there, I felt fine with the coaching. They seemed like good coaches.

"I've been thinking a lot about it, and this is what I decided."

This was a major display of maturity for Deckard, who gave up a guaranteed roster spot at his dream school in hopes of creating an even better situation later on despite there being no guarantee the decision will pay off.

If he somehow underperforms at NEO or suffers a career-ending injury, any aspirations of playing for OSU — or any Division I program, for that matter — will be gone forever.

Deckard said he believes it was worth the risk, though, and chose to bet on himself and his future.

"I might have to swallow the pride a little bit, but it's just going to make me work even harder to make sure I accomplish what I've always wanted to do," Deckard said.

Deckard's monumental choice came on the heels of him earning three all-state honors over the past couple of weeks, gaining recognition as one of the top players in the state.

First, Deckard landed on The Oklahoman's 111th All-State team as one of two receivers on the first team. Then came the Tulsa World's All-World All-State team, and most importantly, the Oklahoma Coaches Association All-State team.

"It's a great accomplishment for my career, and now it's just time to go on to college and do the same thing," Deckard said. "It's an honor. I put all that hard work in, and I'm glad some people realize that. I'm honored to be on all-state for all three (organizations)."

Deckard, along with Claremore quarterback Braxton Etheridge and fellow receiver Tyler Willis from Verdigris, will play on the East team in the OCA All-State game at 7 p.m. July 26 at a to-be-announced venue.

Deckard was on the receiving end of 33.5% of Etheridge's 200 completions, 1,304 yards of his 2,877 yards passing and 19 of his 31 touchdown passes. They will have one more chance to connect for even more in just over five months.

"It's great," Deckard said. "It's probably the last time we'll be able to play together."