BeaversEdge Top 25 For 2023: No. 22 Alton Julian
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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 2023 roster.
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No. 22 Alton Julian
Bio
No. 6
6-foot-2, 210-pounds
Rs-Senior
Valley Christian HS -> College of San Mateo
East Palo Alto, Calif.
2022 Stats: N/A DNP
2022 Recap
Recovering from his knee injury suffered midway through the 2021 campaign, Julian didn't see action for the Beavers this past season.
While it was originally thought he would be back at some point this last season, head coach Jonathan Smith noted that Julian would be aiming to be back full-go in 2023 midway through the campaign.
Prior to the injury in '21, Julian had proven to be one of Oregon State's best secondary defenders, and more specifically, a standout safety...
Before the injury in the seventh game of the season against Utah, Julian was the Beavers' highest-graded defender per PFF, with an overall defensive grade of 78.7. He also led the team in coverage and tackle grades, further showcasing how crucial he was to the defensive corps.
In just seven games in '21, Julian tallied 34 tackles with 1.5 tackles for loss and one interception...
While the journey back to the field has been longer than Julian or the Beavers had hoped, there's no question he'll play a vital role in the secondary if he's fully back to 100% health.
2023 Outlook
With the Beavers graduating Jaydon Grant and Rejzohn Wright, and losing Alex Austin to the NFL Draft this offseason, getting Julian back will be big-time for Trent Bray and Co. as he's mastered the system, has extensive experience, and is essentially a plug-and-play starter.
Alongside Kitan Oladapo, Julian figures to be one of the starting safeties this season if he's fully healthy (everything we've heard indicates no issues) and that's a huge boost for an Oregon State secondary that took a sizable hit in the experience department this offseason.
Given that he will have not played a live game in nearly two years, there will understandably be a little rust for Julian as he works into game action, the Beavers may even bring him along slowly, but he's one of the best secondary options when healthy. If Julian splits time early, look for Akili Arnold or Ian Massey to provide quality depth.
With Skyler Thomas' spring season-ending injury, the Beavers lost a bit of depth at the safety position as Thomas and Arnold saw the most action behind Oladapo and Grant this past season. That further illustrates the importance of Julian being healthy as the Beavers need his leadership, playmaking, and experience.
Look for Julian to be one of the Beavers' go-to playmakers in the secondary in '23, picking up right where he left off and helping Oregon State maintain the vastly improved defensive output we saw this past season.
Previously
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