LaMarcus Bell chooses Oregon State: 'It feels great being able to call Corvallis home!'

The Lake Oswego running back ran for 1,658 yards and 28 touchdowns last season and earned 6A offensive player of the year honors

LaMarcus Bell had reason to celebrate Monday after announcing his commitment to the Oregon State football program. / Photo by Dan Brood

One of the first offers LaMarcus Bell received last fall came from Oregon State University.

And that early attention he received from the Beavers paid off Monday when the standout Lake Oswego junior running back announced on his X feed that he has committed to Oregon State.

"The love the whole staff has shown me since Day 1 told me this was home," Bell said in a text message Monday evening. "Plus the fact it's close to home just means that much more.

"It feels great being able to call Corvallis home!"

AG2G🙏🏾 100% COMMITTED🦫🦫 #gobeavs @Coach_Bray @CoachPickOC pic.twitter.com/VHyEMFSqTC

— LaMarcus “Bam” Bell 2026 (3⭐️RB) (@Lamarcusbell4) January 27, 2025

Bell was named the 6A offensive player of the year and selected to the SBLive Oregon all-state first team after a junior season in which he rushed for 1,658 yards and 28 touchdowns in leading the Lakers to the 6A Open state final.

He broke through as a sophomore, when he was half of the Lakers backfield with Zavier Russell, serving as the big-play threat in running for 1,116 yards and 11 touchdowns as a sophomore and making the 6A all-state second team.

Bell chose the Beavers over offers from BYU, Illinois, Washington State, Nevada, California, New Mexico and Boise State.

"I'm really excited for him and what the future holds," Lakers coach Steve Coury said. "It makes it even nicer that he's staying close to home and we would be able to follow him throughout his career.

"He's worked hard for the success he's achieved, and I look forward to watching the future unfold for him."

The 5-foot-11, 190-pounder is No. 2 in 247Sports' latest ranking of the state's recruits and No. 24 among running backs nationwide.

He figures to battle a couple of running back recruits who signed with Oregon State last month — Kourdey Glass and Skyler Jackson — for playing time in the fall of 2026, but as 247Sports national recruiting editor Brandon Huffman wrote, "Bell is a different type of back than the two, a ridiculously productive, workhorse back but graced with good breakaway speed."

Bell is the second player to commit to Oregon State from the class of 2026, joining Clovis (Calif.) quarterback Deagan Rose, another three-star recruit who committed in July.

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