Oregon State Spring Analysis: Outside Linebackers

With spring practices officially in the rearview mirror for the Oregon State football team, BeaversEdge.com kicks off the start of an analysis series breaking down into each position group on both sides of the ball.

Today, we continue on the defensive side of the ball and the outside linebackers.

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Spring Analysis

Like the inside linebackers, Oregon State's outside linebacker corps is among the most talented and deep position groups on the roster and it showcased itself throughout spring.

Even with the loss of Hamilcar Rashed, the group returned a bevy of experience and playmaking and performed quite well in spring.

Armed with veterans Andrzej Hughes-Murray, John McCartan, & Riley Sharp and flanked by promising up and comers Ryan Franke, Shane Kady, & Cory Stover, the Beavers kept the production high from a positional standpoint and arguably got better from where they were a season ago.

From top to bottom, the group seemed to be more comfortable as a whole in their unique assignments, while the communication amongst the unit was also really solid.

While we knew what to expect from Hughes-Murray, McCartan, & Sharp, but seeing how quickly Franke, Kady, & Stover have picked up the position was particularly impressive. All three guys flashed moments of being able to be very disruptive, but it was Stover who seemed to really thrive with the extra reps. He's definitely a dark horse for playing time heading into fall...

Most notably, however, is the status of Addison Gumbs. The heralded outside 'backer has the potential to be a game-changer for the Beavers if he's able to consistently stay on the field and all indications are that he's going to be 100% by the start of fall camp.

All in all, you've got to love where the team sits from an outside linebacker perspective. They've got a nice blend of experience, size, speed, playmaking, and youth all wrapped into the position and with any luck, they'll be a big reason why the defense has a resurgence this year...