BeaversEdge Top 25 for 2021: Honorable Mentions

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In the months leading up to the start of fall camp, BeaversEdge.com will be counting down the Top 25 Oregon State football players on the 2021 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 Brenden Slaughter, Jared Halus, and Mitch Monge gave it a shot.

The main criteria were assessing our expectations for the player's performance in 2021, and to assess that, you have to look at what the player did in 2020. Stats were taken into consideration, but it was more of an overall impact on the team from an analysis perspective.

Again, we want to reiterate how difficult it was to create this top 25. It was tough to keep some of the guys below out of the top 25.

(in no particular order)

DL - Keonte Schad

-> Schad, who transferred to Oregon State from Minnesota following the conclusion of spring workouts, will be in the mix for immediate playing time on the defensive line this season. Coming off a season where the 6-foot-3, 295-pounder recorded eight tackles, it's hard to say just how much of an impact he'll have. He's certainly got the potential to be a plug-and-play guy, but because of the relative unknown heading into fall camp, he's just outside the top 25.

DB - Alex Austin

-> Austin had a very strong case to be in the top 25, but he lands just on the outside heading into the season. The Long Beach (CA) native is fresh off an impressive spring on the heels of a 2020 campaign that saw him record 29 tackles, half a tackle for loss, one fumble recovery, and two pass breakups. The coaching staff is very high on Austin and he had one of the better springs of anyone on the defensive side of the ball. However, the defensive backfield is highly competitive heading into fall camp and that's why I've got him just on the edge.

DL - Jeromy Reichner

-> Heading into the 2021 campaign, Reichner finds himself just outside the top 25 as his OSU career has been hampered by injuries. The 6-foot-1, 256-pounder has shown flashes of being a really solid playmaker in practice and his limited time on the field, but unfortunately, the sample size just hasn't been there. After electing to opt-out last season, Reichner returned for spring workouts and was back to 100% by the end of the sessions. If he's able to stay healthy, I could see him being a solid contributor in his final go-around.

WR - Makiya Tongue

-> While Tongue certainly has the potential to be higher than an honorable mention, not seeing him in spring workouts due to a minor injury lands him just on the periphery of the Top 25. The 6-foot-2, 225-pounder has a unique blend of size and athleticism, both traits the receiver room needs more of, but we need to see him prove it on the field amongst a crowded crop of receivers.

RB - Deshaun Fenwick

-> The South Carolina transfer could very easily find himself amongst the Top 25 if he's able to seize the starting running back job, but as of now, he finds himself just on the outside. While B.J. Baylor has the starting nod as of now because of his experience in the system and seniority, I think Fenwick has a really good chance to win the job. It's going to come down to who's more consistent in fall camp, but Fenwick has that SEC-level experience, and that may push him over the top down the line.

DB - Alton Julian

-> After joining the program before the start of the 2020 campaign and logging significant playing time in his first year of the program, big things could be on the horizon for Julian. However, like Austin, he'll have to compete with a secondary room that features multiple guys capable of being starters. The 6-foot-2, 203-pounder started opposite Jaydon Grant at safety with the first team for most of the spring workouts and I believe he's in a very good spot heading into fall camp.

DL - James Rawls

OLB - John McCartan

DB - E.J. Jones

WR - Tyjon Lindsey

OL- Korbin Sorensen

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