Six Beavers Recognized As Phil Steele All-Pac-12

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Oregon State running back Jermar Jefferson and inside linebacker Avery Roberts have been named as Phil Steele First-Team All-Pac-12 selections, the publication has announced. The two highlight six Oregon State selections as offensive lineman Nathan Eldridge and inside linebacker Omar Speights and offensive lineman Joshua Gray and kick returner Champ Flemings have been named third team.

It is Jefferson’s third All-Pac-12 selection, following the Associated Press and the conference’s coaches. He was also named the Co-Offensive Most Valuable Player by the Associated Press after totaling 858 rushing yards and seven touchdowns in 2020. He also finished with five 100-yard games, including 226 versus Oregon, the most ever in 124 matchups against the Ducks.

Roberts led the Pac-12 with 69 tackles and was also named to the Coaches All-Pac-12 First Team. The redshirt junior recorded four consecutive double-digit tackle efforts, culminating in a 21-tackle night at Utah that tied for the third-best single-game total by an Oregon State player.

The honor is the second for Eldridge – he was named a Coaches All-Pac-12 First Teamer. The redshirt senior started all seven games at center for the Beavers and was named the Pac-12’s Offensive Lineman of the Week on Nov. 30, a few days after the victory over Oregon.

Speights totaled 63 tackles, just six shy of Roberts for the team and Pac-12 lead. Speights tallied 10 or more tackles three times, including a season-high 13 at Utah. The sophomore picks up his second honor after being named honorable mention by the Pac-12’s coaches.

The honor is also Gray’s second of the year after the redshirt freshman was named an All-Pac-12 Second-Team selection by the conference’s coaches. He started all seven games at left tackle and was part of an offensive line that paved the way for Jefferson’s five 100-yard rushing efforts.

Flemings, who was also named honorable mention by the Pac-12’s coaches, returned 19 kickoffs in 2020, and averaged 23.5 yards per. He was named the Pac-12’s Special Teams Player of the Week Nov. 23 after totaling 125 kickoff yards on four returns versus the Huskies.