In the month of June, BeaversEdge.com will be counting down the top 20 Oregon State football players on the 2018 roster.
The rankings will be controversial and no two people will agree on every single ranking, but that will be the fun of the rankings.
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Ranking Criteria
This is obviously an inexact science as you're comparing quarterbacks to defensive lineman and linebackers to offensive lineman. But our team, which consisted of Mike Singer, Brenden Slaughter, and Keenan Puncocher, gave it a shot.
The main criteria was assessing our expectations for the player's performance in 2018, and to assess that, you have to look at what the player did in 2017. Stats were taken into consideration, but it was more of overall impact on the team from an analysis perspective.
Again, we want to reiterate how difficult it was to create this top 20. It was tough to keep some of the guys below out of the top 20.
Omar Hicks-Onu - Junior - Safety
Omar Hicks-Onu is one of the most versatile players that the Beavers have in the secondary as he’s most comfortable at his natural position of safety, but also played cornerback towards the end of last season when the Beavers were injury depleted in the back end. Hicks-Onu suffered an injury in the offseason that kept him fully out of spring football, so it’s hard to predict the type of season he might have until we see him back on the field and fully recovered.
Jeromy Reichner - Junior - Defensive Lineman
A junior college product, Jeromy Reichner arrived at OSU this spring and from the moment he’s stepped on the football field, he’s been making an impact. Reichner provides the Beavers some much needed depth on the defensive line while also giving them something they don’t have currently. A natural edge rusher. Reichner is the textbook definition of what you’re looking for in a defensive end and if spring football was any indicator, he’ll be on the field a ton in 2018.
Hamilcar Rashed - Sophomore - Outside Linebacker
Another player who just misses the list but could be on it by the end of the season is outside linebacker Hamilcar Rashed. After an underwhelming freshman campaign in 2017 where he struggled to find the field, Rashed appears to have come back ready to make an impact. He’s a raw athlete who has a lot of potential, but has yet to show it. However, that will all change now that defensive coordinator Tim Tibesar and linebackers coach Trent Bray have moved Rashed to what I believe to be his most suited position. A hybrid linebacker/defensive end. Opposite of Kee Whetzel on the edge, Rashed could be in line for a big year in a defensive system that is known for producing outstanding linebackers.
Conor Blount - Sophomore - Quarterback
Blount just narrowly misses out on our top-20 heading into the 2018 campaign, but depending on how the quarterback competition shakes out, it’s entirely possible he’ll end the season much higher. After an impressive spring that few saw coming, Blount enters fall camp battling senior incumbent Jake Luton for the starting job, and right now I’d say it’s neck and neck. Luton may still have the upper hand being an experienced veteran, but Blount appears to be the better system quarterback for Smith and offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren’s offense.
Shawn Wilson - Junior - Cornerback
With increased secondary depth now starting to show, Shawn Wilson finds himself in a unique position. He’s one of the few players in the secondary with a lot of game experience under his belt and is considered one of the leaders of the group. However, Wilson will have to fight to find the playing field consistently if the Beavers are healthy. He’s a very savvy athlete and plays with a high motor, but with the amount of bodies OSU has in the back end, he’ll have to compete in a crowded secondary.
