Oregon State Spring Analysis: Outside Linebackers

Between perhaps the most highly-touted defensive transfer to ever come to Corvallis in Gumbs and incoming freshman Speights and Franke, Tim Tibesar and linebackers coach Trent Bray have to be feeling good.

Gumbs has all the tools to be a day one starter once he recovers from an August ACL tear, while Speights and Franke figure to be great young pieces for an improved outside linebacking corps.

While Franke will arrive in the summer, Speights and Gumbs were both enrolled in classes prior to the start of spring and are officially with the team. While Gumbs didn't participate this spring, Speights was able to get his feet wet in the Beavers' system and that should only benefit him down the line.

Here's what head coach Jonathan Smith and Tibesar said of the trio back in December.

Tibesar on Gumbs: “Addison looks different from anyone else we’ve got on our team. He looks like a grown-ass man and looks just like some of the guys I had at Wisconsin who are playing in the NFL. He won’t probably be cleared by spring ball, but I think someone who played as true-freshman at Oklahoma will certainly be a huge addition for us.”

Smith on Gumbs: “Looking at the roster, we have to get guys who are going to help us at the line of scrimmage and Gumbs is a guy who’s going to help us immediately.”

Smith on Franke: “He fits exactly what we’re looking for at outside linebacker. He is athletic and has a very good body type. He showed some physicality this season by playing up in the trenches as well and we really like his versatility.”

Speights, the younger brother of current Beaver defensive lineman Jeromy Reichner, figues to play inside-linebacker per Tibesar, and Smith noted that the family connection really helped seal the deal for the Beavs.

“We were recruiting him when he was still in Pennsylvania,” Smith said. “He’s physical and has the height and weight to compete right away as a freshman. We’re anxious about him starting in January.”

Added Tibesar on Speights: “Like Gumbs, he’s a grown ass man and looks a lot like our linebacker room right now as a high-school senior. He will be one of our better pass-rushers immediately and we’re going to put him at inside-linebacker. Having a guy that can blitz and run from that position will immediately help us on defense. He’s got a Pac-12 ready body right now.”