Draft:Braden Cassity

Braden Cooper Cassity (born March 29, 1999) was an American football NCAA Division 1 FBS player as a defensive end turned tight end, fullback, special teams player and captain at Oklahoma State. He is now preparing for The Big 12 Pro Day at the Ford Center at The Star and the 2024 NFL draft.

Early Years
Braden Cassity first played tackle football in pads in the fall of 2004 in Louisville for the Middletown Eagles; he was five-years old.

When his parents, see Family section below, divorced in 2008, Cassity moved to Atlanta with his mother Colleen Hartman Rambusch, nee Colleen Cassity. There he played tackle football for the Northside Youth Organization NYO football in third, fourth and fifth grades.

There he played for the school-related Ridgeview Charter Middle School team, and his head coach was former-Georgia offensive lineman James Brown who blocked for Herschel Walker at Georgia during his 1982 Heisman Trophy-winning year.

Starting in seventh grade, Cassity was voicing his interest to move to Texas for high school football to tee up his desired college career. On November 1, 2013 with his football season wrapped up in Atlanta, Cassity and his mother made their move to Austin, Texas where he would finish eighth grade at West Ridge Middle School.

High School
Cassity played the 2014 on the Westlake High School freshman football team before playing varsity in the 2015, 2016 and 2017 seasons for the legendary Texas high school coach Todd Dodge. An academic powerhouse, school is also known for its football. It boasts alumni including NFL greats Drew Brees, Nick Foles and Justin Tucker.

Sam Ehlinger, Kylen Granson, Vi Jones

Personally 2015

Personally 2016

Personally 2017

A team captain who helped lead his team to a 14-1 record as a senior with the only loss coming in the state semifinals ... Accolades as a senior included being named the Class 6A Defensive Player of the Year, the District 25-6A Defensive MVP and the Padilla Poll Defensive Player of the Year, as well as first team recognition on the AP All-State, Padilla Poll, All USA-Texas, TSWA All-State and All-Central Texas teams ... Wrapped up his final year with 15.0 tackles for loss, 71 solo stops and 101 total tackles ... Also added 11 sacks and an interception ... Finished his junior season with an 11-3 record and an appearance in the state quarterfinals ... Had 56 total tackles, 8.0 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks and an interception that season ... Also played as a sophomore, recording six tackles, one tackle for loss and a blocked field goal ... Played in the state championship game vs. North Shore as a sophomore ... Ranked as a three-star prospect by ESPN, Rivals and 247Sports ... ESPN listed him as the No. 92 prospect in the state of Texas and as the No. 60 defensive end in the nation ...

Chose Oklahoma State over Wisconsin, Army, Navy, Tulsa and others.

Cassity also played lacrosse in high school for 3 or 4 years.

College
Going on to play 61 games for Oklahoma State, Braden Cassity was a defensive end turned tight end, fullback, special teams player and captain. With several All-Big 12 academic and athletic honors, Cassity played a pivotal role in Jaylen Warren's 1,200 rushing yard season in 2021 and in the 2023 Doak Walker campaign for Ollie Gordon II. Cassity also won the university's prestigious Loyal and True award, a top honor chosen from all athletes at Oklahoma State. He is currently training in Austin, Texas for the 2024 NFL draft.

Awards and captain

Bowls

Academic Awards & Education
2023 First Team Academic All-Big 12

Leisure Turned Career Path
Braden Cassity is an avid outdoorsman as a waterfoul hunter, noodler and bowfisherman.

Oklahoma State featured his passion on a 2023 episode of OSU Max, "OSU Access: Duck Hunting With the Cowboys." The episode is described as "Stillwater and the surrounding area provides great opportunities for Oklahoma State Cowboys and Cowgirls to get outside and enjoy great the great outdoors. Get an inside look as Braden Cassity, Joe Michalski and Kody Walterscheid get together for an early morning duck hunt as the guys took a break from Texas Bowl preparations."

It was not uncommon for the Oklahoma media to ask Cassity about his adventures. (I could tell you my spots quote on YT) and noodling pic. }

Given that Cassity's master's is in ranchland development and management, it is no surprise that he works in the football offseason for Spring Valley Ranch in Eucha, Oklahoma as a guide on their 1,000+ acres and as a personal guide in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas.

Parents
Braden Cassity is the youngest son of now-retired, college defensive coordinator Mike Cassity. His father played Kentucky football in the 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974 seasons starting his final two seasons at safety. He received the Kiwanis Club 110 Percenter Award for his effort and dedication. On the mat wrestling for Kentucky, he placed third at the 1974 Southeastern Conference meet at 190 pounds. At Fort Campbell High School, he was a member of the 1971 Kentucky state high school wrestling championship team, winning the individual title in the 167 pound class. His now-deceased father Herman Cassity was a US Army sergeant major.

Now retired, Mike Cassity went on to coach football at Kentucky (1975); Paducah Tilghman High School (1976-1979); Kentucky (1979, 1980, 1981); Morehead State (1982); Western Kentucky (1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988); Northeast Louisiana now Louisiana-Monroe (1989); East Carolina (1990,1991); Georgia Tech (1992, 1993); Cincinnati (1994); Wisconsin (1995, 1996); Baylor (1997, 1998); Oklahoma State (1999, 2000); Illinois (2001, 2002, 2003); Louisville (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007); Marshall (2009, 2010, 2011); Kentucky (2012); Western Kentucky (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016); and Purdue (2017).

Mother Colleen Hartman Rambusch, nee Colleen Cassity, who worked for Oklahoma State athletics in radio and TV plus for various NFL agents, is now a global marketing and public relations executive for Zeno Group. Her now-deceased father Robert F. Hartman, a former US Marine and federal agent, had a major influence on Braden Cassity as his grandfather.

Stepfather Harold "Bit" Rambusch IV, an executive currently for Philips in healthcare, lettered in football and baseball for Army West Point at the United States Military Academy (1985, 1986, 1988, 1989).

Siblings & Blended Family
Braden Cassity now comes from a large blended family of siblings.

Skyler Cassity

Brother Hunter Cassity was a Samford football safety, plus he has a sister Brooke Cassity.

Stepbrother Blake Rambusch was an Auburn baseball infielder, playing in the 2022 College World Series, and is currently playing for the Seattle Mariners’ organization.

Stepbrother Harold "Bit" Rambusch V is an Army special forces officer who played hockey for Texas A&M while also serving as a member of the Corps of Cadets.

Lastly, Braden Cassity has a stepbrother Ryan Rambusch.