A Healthy Raesjon Davis Will Be Critical For Oregon State Defense in 2026

A former elite recruit, Davis enters his sixth college season and his second in Corvallis as the Beavers create a new identity

Oregon StateÕs Raesjon Davis celebrates the tackle for loss during an NCAA football game against California at Reser Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025, in Corvallis, Ore. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

We are now just about two weeks out from the start of Oregon State football fall camp, the first under head coach JaMarcus Shephard. With a roster that features a mix of players who stuck around from 2025 and guys who came in via the transfer portal, there are a lot of depth-chart questions that we won't have much information on until mid-late August. However, there are some guys we are confident should have a significant role on this year's team.

Today, we are starting a countdown of the 15 players most-important to Oregon State football's success in the 2026-2027 season.

#15: Raesjon Davis - Inside Linebacker, Senior

Kicking off this list is a talented inside linebacker who'll be looking to unlock his full potential in his final year of collegiate eligibility. Transferring to Oregon State ahead of last fall, Davis looked good in the three games that he started for the Beavers, before a September injury ended his 2025 campaign. In those three contests, Davis tallied nine total tackles with one TFL and a QB hurry against Cal. After nearly a year of rehab and recovery, him returning to form will be big for the OSU defense, alongside of fellow ILB Aiden Sullivan.

Rated 95 by 247Sports out of HS and ranked top-ten at his position group, Raesjon Davis held offers from numerous elite schools including USC, Ohio State and Miami. Though he never panned out the way that they were hoping at a big-time program, Davis did play in 36 games across four seasons with the USC Trojans. Based on the impressive tool kit that scouts have said he possesses, Davis has a lot he can still bring to the table for the Beavers in 2026.

Davis has been descrisbed by some scouts as "one of the most versatile linebackers in the country," with an ability to burst around the edge into the backfield, and also to break down in space to make open-field tackles. Additionally, Bivens also mentioned about Davis that he has pass-coverage skills that is more reflective of a defensive back than a linebacker, which is what significantly adds to his overall versatility.

There are other good players in the mix at ILB, with both Tyree Blake and Kord Shaw coming on strong towards the end of last season. But as of right now, Davis is looking like he could be the frontrunner for a starting spot entering his sixth collegiate season.