3 Positions Oregon State Football Could Still Target in Transfer Portal

Ahead of next week’s deadline for portal players to commit to new schools (May 25th), we’re writing about 3 positions the Oregon State football team could still covet in the transfer portal.

Oct 5, 2024; Corvallis, Oregon, USA; Oregon State Beavers place kicker Everett Hayes (35) kicks off during the fourth quarter against the Colorado State Rams at Reser Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

Hall-of-fame football coach Bill Parcells once compared personnel decisions to grocery shopping.

In Corvallis, the figurative cupboards and fridges have been stocked with new additions at running back, corner, and offensive lineman, but head chef Trent Bray could improve this season’s dishes with a few more additions.

Ahead of next week’s deadline for portal players to commit to new schools (May 25th), we’re writing about 3 positions the Oregon State football team could still covet in the transfer portal.

Interior Offensive Line

Starting center Van Wells and guards JT Hand and Tyler Voltin should all make solid contributions this season. So why pursue a guard or center? Depth. Wells, Hand, and Voltin are all playing on their final season of college eligibility, and the Beavers have no obvious succession plan at their position group.

Middle Linebacker

Last season, then-true freshman middle linebacker Dexter Foster was tossed headfirst into the torrent of top-level college football. While the young man from Portland drew plenty of praise, he also drew attention from larger programs. In this new normal of college athletics where players can transfer freely via the portal, Oregon State would be wise to plan for a potential future without their prized young linebacker.

The double whammy of NIL and the transfer portal has already wrecked havoc on two other Oregon State programs: 6 weeks ago, the Beavers’ men’s basketball team was devastated by departures from all 5 2024-25 starters. A little over a year ago, other programs looted their women’s basketball team: 8 Beavers left via the portal. Simply, there was more NIL money and pro exposure to be found at other programs. 

With that in mind, it would be prudent for Oregon State to build linebacker depth via the portal.

Kicker

Of all the positions on the Oregon State football roster, this one is the deepest mystery: kicker. Currently 3 kickers are battling for the starting job, but none have NCAA D1 playing experience. Caleb Ojeda backed up Everett Hayes last season, after transferring from junior college. Ditto for Logan McCreery. Japanese transfer Tetsuta Tsuyumine played in Japan’s college league. 

The kicking game matters. Last November, Everett Hayes’ 55 yarder walked-off the rivalry game against Washington State, and snapped a losing streak that had many fans questioning Trent Bray’s future in Corvallis. That one kick changed the whole trajectory of the offseason, and should challenge the staff to think about intensifying this spring’s kicking competition with another roster addition.

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