Oregon State Starting Linebacker Dexter Foster Will Join Transfer Portal

Oregon State linebacker Dexter Foster started the season's first seven games before suffering a season-ending knee injury. Now, he will transfer. Learn more in this piece.

Oregon State Beavers linebacker Dexter Foster (55) takes down Idaho State Bengals running back Dason Brooks (28) during the second half on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024 at Reser Stadium in Corvallis, Ore. | Abigail Dollins/Statesman Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Dexter Foster's story reads like a Beaver fan's dream.

The Portland native won a state title at Oregon high school football powers Central Catholic HS off Stark Street on the east side. After graduating, he enrolled at Oregon State, where he played nineteen games across the past two seasons. Now, his story is adding a new chapter.

Yesterday, the Beavers' green dot starting linebacker announced his decision to enter the transfer portal.

On X.com, Foster offered praise to the Oregon State staffers who empowered him throughout his journey: "I would like to give a special thank you to Coach Bray [fired Oregon State head coach Trent Bray] and Coach Coop [departing safeties coach AJ Cooper] for giving me the opportunity to play this game at the next level and developing me into the player I am today, not only on the field, but off the field as well, by teaching me how to carry myself as a young man. I also want thank coach Shephard and the new coaching staff for the love and respect they have shown me, for believing in me as an individual, and for respecting my decision while working to help turn this program around. "

When head coach Trent Bray took the reigns from Jonathan Smith in December 2023, he inherited a program in disarray: 25 players, including many starters, left via the transfer portal. Their depleted roster put early pressure on the true freshman Foster, a three-star prospect, to fill a void at middle linebacker. He responded admirably: his first year stat line featured appearances across all 12 games, with 12 solo tackles, 31 assisted tackles (43 total), 2 tackles for loss, and 1 sack.

Foster entered the 2025 season as Oregon State's unquestioned green dot starting middle linebacker. He started each of the campaign's first seven contests, and beat the pace of his previous season: 14 solo tackles, 38 assisted tackles (52 total), 3 tackles for loss, and 1 pass defended.

Foster's seventh start marked his last game at Oregon State. In the second half against Wake Forest, he suffered a season-ending knee injury. In his absence, the Beavers leaned heavily on redshirt-junior linebackers Aiden Sullivan and Kord Shaw.

Foster will have two years of eligibility remaining (plus a redshirt if needed) at his next school. He headlines a long list of Oregon State departures, including starting wide receiver Taz Reddicks, starting guards Dylan Sikorski and Ryan Berger, and more. The 2026 Division I FBS transfer portal will open this Friday January 2nd, and student-athletes can enter through January 16th.