Miami transfer safety Zaquan Patterson commits to Oklahoma State

Former Miami safety Zaquan Patterson has committed to Oklahoma State via the NCAA Transfer Portal, per On3’s Hayes Fawcett. Patterson only spent one season with the Hurricanes and will have three years of eligibility remaining.

In his lone campaign at Miami, Patterson appeared in all 13 of the team’s games and made one start. He tallied 19 total tackles and three pass breakups. Patterson had a heartfelt message for Miami fans in the wake of his departure.

“It just was not the right place, right time,” Patterson said. “It has nothing to do with the program. Mario Cristobal and everyone in that facility are great people.

“I want to thank all the Canes fans as well. They’ve been a big part of my support. They made me feel at home. From the day I committed to now, they all showed major love.”

Patterson missed Miami’s spring practices due to a torn ligament in his thumb. However, he is nearly fully recovered from the injury now.

Patterson played high school football at Chaminade-Madonna Prep (FL), where he was a four-star recruit. He was the No. 92 overall player and No. 9 safety in the 2024 recruiting cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Patterson chose Oklahoma State over Florida, Ole Miss, SMU and other suitors in the transfer portal. He was the No. 278 overall player and No. 18 safety in On3’s 2025 Transfer Portal Player Rankings.

Patterson is the 38th player Oklahoma State has added via the NCAA Transfer Portal this offseason. In comparison, the Cowboys have lost 26 players to the portal. They are currently ranked No. 31 in On3’s 2025 Team Transfer Portal Rankings.

Oklahoma State is hoping for a bounce-back season after posting a 3-9 overall record and an 0-9 mark in conference play last year. It was the program’s worst season since head coach Mike Gundy took over in 2005.

Most experts around the country agree that Gundy can’t afford a similar season this year. After Oklahoma State’s spring game in late April, Gundy evaluated his team’s offseason progress.

“I’m pleased with where we’re at,” Gundy said. “The good news is we have another week of practice, so we’ll have three more heavy practices where we’ll compete against each other a lot like we did today. That’s really where we find out kind of where we are, and then that’ll give us a chance to lead into the offseason with the players, and then running their own practices and such.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.