Oregon State Earns First Commitment of 2027 Football Class

Alonzo Green, a towering 6'5" defensive back, verbally committed to Oregon State on social media.

Nov 8, 2025; Corvallis, Oregon, USA; Sam Houston Bearkats team members was the field during sunset before the game against the Oregon State Beavers at Reser Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

At his introductory press conference, Oregon State head coach JaMarcus Shephard flashed recruiting chops.

That skill is on full display today, following the verbal commitment of towering 6'5" safety Alonzo Green, the Beavers' first commit in their 2027 recruiting class.

Green, currently a junior at Oak Hills High School (Hesperia, CA) in San Bernadino County, is currently rated three stars by major recruiting outlets. However, his tape shows the ability to play nickel corner & contest catches in the slot, shed blocks, and read/react for timely run fits.

In an interview with 247Sports national recruiting analyst Greg Biggins, Green explained why he committed to Oregon State:

“I’m very excited about my decision,” Green said. “Coach Shep (JaMarcus Shephard) has something special cooking at Oregon State and I wanted to be a part of that as soon as possible. He runs a strict program and that’s what I was looking for. It’s early but I know Oregon State is where I need to be and I didn’t want to waste any time so that’s why I jumped on this before taking any other visits.”

Green is still developing - he only played five games during his sophomore year, and nine more games last Fall - but offers tantalizing potential for new defensive coordinator Mike McIntyre's scheme. He could potentially line up at a safety position, leveraging his rare length to contest deep throws. He could potentially line up at boundary corner, using his size to bully smaller pass catchers out of position. Alternatively, he could be a prototypical Star defender, a position that has rose to prominence alongside the growing popularity of the 4-2-5 defense.

Essentially, Green would be asked to become a swiss army knife - cover the boundary, the slot, the deep middle, or take out a tight end - depending on the coverage, and how the offense lines up against it.

Currently, all but one of Oregon State's defensive backs hold eligibility in 2027: senior Drake Vickers. Six juniors contribute in the secondary: Noble Thomas Jr., Sailasa Vadrawale III, TJ Crandall, Harlam Howard, Milan Clark, and Isiah Houi. Sophomore Exodus Ayers has playing experience, alongside sophomore Trey Glasper - who just finished his true freshman season in Corvallis last Fall - plus fellow sophomores Kahanu Kalahiki, RJ Whitten, and Tyjai Hopper. True freshmen Zephen Walker, Blake Thompson, Kai Wheaton, and David Madison round out the group.