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With the 2023 Oregon State football season firmly in the rearview, BeaversEdge begins an article series analyzing how each position group fared throughout the season and previewing spring football 2024!
Today we dive into the linebackers, who will be tasked with replacing key starters...
Note: Only scholarship players are listed
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Who's Gone?
ILB Calvin Hart - Graduation
ILB Easton Mascarenas-Arnold - Transferred To USC
OLB Drew Chatfield - Graduation
OLB John McCartan - Graduation
2023 Recap
In a year where the Beavers made rushing the passer one of their biggest goals, the linebackers played a huge role in the success of the OSU pass rush.
Generating a pass rush is multi-faceted, with the entire defense playing a role, but the majority of that responsibility falls on your outside linebackers/edge rushers. They are the straw that stirs the pass-rush drink and the Beavers, led by Chatfield and McCartan were very effective in 2023.
Chatfield and McCartan were No. 1 and No. 2, respectively in sacks for the team this season, with the former finishing with 9.5, while the latter had five. Those two helped lead the way for a group that nearly doubled its sack totals from 2022.
Moving to the inside, Mascarenas-Arnold and Hart Jr. helped the Beavers maintain their strong and stout run defense from the year before, with very little drop-off. The duo were No. 1 and No. 3 respectively, in total tackles with Mascarenas leading the Pac-12 with 107 while Hart added 61.
OSU's system places a huge emphasis on funneling ball carriers right into their ILBs, so their "stopping power" is vitally important and Hart and Mascarenas-Arnold were terrific at shutting down ball carriers when they had them in their sights.
Losing the entire quartet of linebackers is a tough pill to swallow for Bray, new DC Keith Heyward, and Co., but the Beavers did a really nice job of adding instant-impact players who will help bridge the gap.
Who's Back?
OLB
Cory Stover, Sr.
Nikko Taylor, Sr.
Ryan Franke, Jr.
Olu Omotosho, Jr.
Mathias Malaki-Donaldson, So.
Zakaih Saez, Fr.
ILB
Makiya Tongue, Sr.
Michael Erhart, Sr.
John Miller, Jr.
Mason Tufaga, Jr.
Melvin Jordan, So.
Kord Shaw, So.
Isaiah Chisom, So.
Who's Coming In?
With all four linebacker starters graduating or moving on this offseason, the Beavers knew they had work to do via the transfer portal and work they did...
The Beavers added three players who will vie for immediate playing time in outside 'backer DJ Wesolak (Missouri) and a pair of inside linebackers in Aidan Sullivan and Gyriece Goodman.
Wesolak should slide right into one of the outside linebacker spots, while Goodman and Sullivan have a strong case to be able to start, or play right away coming over from highly productive seasons at JUCO.
In terms of the incoming high school linebackers, the Beavers added two in-state prospects in Will Haverland and Dexter Foster, while also adding Florida DE Shamar Meikle. The Beavers really like the talent they added via the high school ranks, so even though we aren't likely to see this trio early on, they'll make their presence known in the years to come...
