Oklahoma State’s steady, in-state walk-on safety earning his keep
Lai is a **developmental safety** whose value comes from reliability, effort, and football IQ rather than headline stats: Oklahoma State lists him as a Tulsa native and walk-on who has earned Academic All-Big 12 honors in 2024 and 2025, and he played in the final nine games in 2025 while finishing with four tackles. That profile suggests a disciplined, coach-trusted depth piece—good fit for a program that wants a smart, physical special-teams or rotational defender with room to keep climbing.
