Oregon State Beavers Football: All-Decade Team - Defense

With the 2020 decade now underway, BeaversEdge.com Managing Editor Brenden Slaughter gives his take on the top Oregon State defensive players in the 2010's. Despite the Beavers yielding a fair amount of subpar defensive units in the decade, there were still plenty of talented playmakers that deserved a spot on this list.

Without further ado, here is BeaversEdge.com's Defensive All-Decade Team of the 2010s.

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The early part of the 2010s was extremely fruitful to the Oregon State football team as far as defensive lineman go. While the Beavers having a dominant, hand-on-the-ground defensive lineman seems like some time ago, it wasn't that long ago that the likes of Stephen Paea, Scott Crichton, and Dylan Wynn were terrorizing opposing backfields. With that being said, all three of these guys were easy picks here. While I'll certainly get a little flack for including Paea and his one season (2010) on here, his one season was far too special to ignore.

Paea, who needs little introduction, was by far the top defensive player that the Beavers had in the decade. He was the 2010 Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year (only the second Beaver ever - Bill Swancutt 2004) and was also a two-time Morris Trophy winner, an honor awarded to league's top defensive lineman as voted on by the Pac-12's offensive lineman. All in all, Paea's legacy and talent is written all over the OSU record books as he's ranked in the top ten in sacks and tackles for loss while also coming in second in fumbles forced. He's an easy pick despite just one season in the decade.

Simply put, Crichton was a special talent and a really fun player to watch. From the moment he stepped onto the field as a freshman in 2011, he showed flashes of the future star he'd soon become. While he only played three seasons before electing to head to the NFL, Crichton tore up opposing backfields and wrote his name all over the OSU record books as he tallied 51.0 tackles-for-loss and ranked third in OSU history with 22.5 sacks. He also holds the school record with 10 forced fumbles during his career. Another no brainer...

Playing opposite of Crichton is certainly going to have its benefits and Wynn reaped the rewards during his career. Unlike Crichton, Wynn was a four-year starter on the defensive line as his high-energy presence and tenacious play consistently ripped apart opposing backfields. He finished his OSU career with 44 starts, led all OSU defensive linemen in tackles for two straight years, and earned Pac-12 honors his senior season. Wynn wasn't the most talented lineman, but he was amongst the fiercest and toughest to play in the 2010s.

Others receiving votes: Kyle Peko, Andrew Seumalo, Elu Aydon, Mana Rosa, Kevin Frahm,

While the decade didn't see Oregon State produce high-level units consistently, the Beavers had some very talented linebackers come through.

Doctor, who was a part of the more talented defensive units in the early 2010s, easily finds himself on this list as he tallied a whopping 254 tackles, 22.5 of which were tackles for loss. He started 38 games in his Oregon State career and quickly became known as 'The Doctor' in and around Corvallis. He finished with six career interceptions and had one pick-six. Doctor is still bleeding the orange and black as he's a member of Jonathan Smith's staff as the director of on-campus recruiting.

Hungalu was one of the Beavers' top defensive playmakers in the mid-2010's as he tallied 129 total tackles, 2.5 sacks, and four interceptions during his career. While he unfortunately falls into the timeline of OSU football that fans would likely to forget, he was an incredibly talented linebacker who was a very bright spot on what was a dismal defense for the best years of his career. He earned All-Conference honors in 2017 and was one of the most reliable and sure-handed tacklers the Beavers had in the decade.

Rashed, who also needs little introduction, undoubtedly deserves a spot on this list as he already holds the school records for sacks (14.5) and tackles for loss (22.5) in a single season. His 16.5 career sacks already rank seventh all-time at OSU and he could get even higher in the record books as he's elected to return for his senior campaign in 2020.

Alexander (formerly Welch), who currently plays for the Jacksonville Jaguars, was one of the most disruptive linebackers the Beavers had when he was healthy. He dealt with some stingers and several other minor injuries during his career, but had a knack for creating negative plays as he boasted a ton of athleticism and side to side speed. He was drafted in the 5th round of the 2015 NFL Draft after a senior season that saw him tally 12 tackles for loss and four sacks.

Others receiving votes: Caleb Saulo, Jabral Johnson, Rueben Robinson, Feti Unga.

Last but certainly not least, we arrive at our All-Decade Secondary Team. Headlined by current Buffalo Bill Jordan Poyer, the secondary unit includes Rashaad Reynolds and current NFL defensive backs Steven Nelson and Treston Decoud.

If there's an MVP of this group, there's no doubt it's Astoria, Ore. native Jordan Poyer. The uber-talented Poyer was a swiss-army-knife in every facet. After coming to Oregon State with the intent to star on both football team and Pat Casey's baseball team, Poyer decided to focus solely on football midway through his college career as it became apparent he'd be a next-level talent on the football field. Poyer became a fan favorite during his time in Corvallis as his toughness, gritty-play, and winning mindset was infectious among OSU supporters. His 13 career interceptions (three for TD's) are tied for fourth-most in school history and he earned consensus All-American honors as a senior in 2012. He's an easy pick here as he'll go down as one of the best corners the Beavers have ever had.

Reynolds might be one of the most underrated Oregon State defenders in the 2010's. Opposite of Poyer and eventually Nelson, Reynolds was the sturdy lockdown corner that would make opposing quarterbacks regret trying to pick on him. While Reynolds didn't boast the biggest frame (5-foot-11, 187 pounds), his athleticism and covering skills were impressive. He totaled a combined nine interceptions in his final two seasons and earned second-team conference honors as a senior. He still holds the school record for most fumble recoveries for touchdowns as he did it twice against Boise State in the 2013 Hawaii Bowl.

Nelson, who currently starts for the Pittsburgh Steelers, captured the attention of Beaver Nation from the moment he arrived on campus as 'Nelson Island' was born. Ranked as the No. 2 JUCO corner coming from College of the Sequoias, Nelson starred for the Beavers at cornerback during the 2013 and '14 seasons, becoming one of the most respected in the Pac-12 for his lockdown ability. He earned All Pac-12 honors both years, recorded eight interceptions, and will be remembered for his signature pick-six against San Diego State in 2013.

Decoud, who is currently in XFL after NFL stints with Houston and Dallas, was one of the very few positives for the Oregon State football team during the Gary Andersen era. While there were certainly cases to be made for Zimmerman, Chappell, and others below, Decoud's talent and play in Corvallis earns him the nod. In his two seasons, Decoud followed suit of Nelson in the sense of being an instant-lockdown corner coming straight out of JUCO. He was drafted in the 5th round of the 2017 NFL Draft and earned Pac-12 Honorable Mention honors as a senior as he tallied two interceptions and returned one 75 yards for a score against Idaho State.

Others receiving votes: Tyrequek Zimmerman, Devin Chappell, Ryan Murphy, Sean Martin, Anthony Watkins, Jalen Moore, Xavier Crawford.