The Oregon State Beavers were one of the most pleasant surprises of the season in 2022. Now, after addressing their woeful passing game through the transfer portal, the Beavers are looking to compete at a higher level in 2023. We’re taking a look at the Beavers’ 2024 NFL Draft prospects, season schedule, and roster changes.
Oregon State Beavers Roster and Depth Chart Changes
Losing tight end Luke Musgrave and cornerback Alex Austin to the NFL will hurt the Beavers, but maybe not as much as their draft status would indicate. Musgrave played in only two games last year before an injury struck him down. The biggest loss is linebacker Omar Speights, who jetted to LSU and is a top 2024 linebacker prospect.
However, the Beavers did well with the transfer portal overall. They landed former Clemson five-star recruit and starting quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, who easily became the top recruit ever to join the program. There’s no doubt Uiagalelei will improve a passing game that produced only 16 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 2022 despite the team boasting an excellent run game.
The Beavers have a blend of young talent and more veteran presences on their offense. Their line is quite good, boasting a terrific tackle duo. Their playmakers are younger but have considerable explosiveness to rely upon.
The defense is a more veteran unit, with every projected starter in their junior year or older. The secondary is welcoming multiple new starters, but with any luck, they can get close to replicating their 20th-ranked scoring defense.
Oregon State NFL Draft Prospects
DJ Uiagalelei, QB
Standing an impressive 6’4″, 250 pounds, Uiagalelei is an imposing presence who found more of his groove in 2022 after a shockingly inefficient 2021 season. Despite an impressive stretch where Uiagalelei filled in for Trevor Lawrence as a freshman in 2020, Uiagalelei looked utterly overwhelmed as the full-time starter in 2021 with a depleted supporting cast. It’s not an accident his completion rate, yards per attempt, and touchdown-to-interception ratio took massive leaps upward in his second starting season.
Uiagalelei is a vertical thrower who benefits from an aggressive spread offense. A capable runner who gets downhill effectively, Uiagalelei will punish defenses that have too many defensive backs on the field. When defenses go with heavier personnel, he’ll attack downfield with arching throws that can quickly lead to chunk gains.
He’s far from a refined, consistent passer right now due to the generally easy nature of Clemson’s attack. Uiagalelei also struggles with ball placement on short and intermediate throws, so he’s still a developing project. But he’s one worth monitoring because his physical gifts are so impressive.
Anthony Gould, WR
Most receivers who are 5’8″ and 170 pounds have no shot at the NFL, but Anthony Gould has the speed to make up for his tiny build. Gould averaged 16.9 yards per reception and 18.3 yards per punt return last year. Expect his role to grow now that he’s playing with a strong deep passer in Uiagalelei.
Gould can play in the slot or outside because of his blazing top-end speed and ability to quickly gain separation. His limitations are clear, but he should earn late-round consideration as a specific weapon.
Taliese Fuaga, OT
A large right tackle at 6’5″ and 328 pounds, Taliese Fuaga is one of the most intriguing blockers in the country. Both his lateral quickness as a pass blocker and downfield speed as a run blocker are unexpected, considering his size. Make no mistake — Fuaga is absolutely a standout athlete for his position and would compare very favorably to NFL peers in terms of his movement skill.
Fuaga shows solid patience in pass protection, maximizing his length advantage and ability to mirror defenders. His high moments are terrific and could give him the opportunity to ascend into the early Day 2 discussion in 2024.
There are areas to improve. Despite being 328 pounds, Fuaga is prone to power rushers ripping through his grip or shedding his blocks too easily in space. This could either be a functional strength issue or a technical one, but it’ll define his ultimate upside.
Joshua Gray, OT
For as interesting as Fuaga is, Joshua Gray is the better player right now. But the left tackle will surely move inside to guard at the next level because his 6’4″ frame doesn’t allow him to survive well enough in space. Still, Gray has impressive strength, showing great weight transfer ability and active feet that allow him to quickly reset his stance.
His best reps come as a run blocker, where he wins leverage and drives defenders out of their gap. However, he’s also got the pass-blocking techniques down that he’ll need, even sometimes getting too mechanical and not anticipating stunts or improvisational inside cuts from rushers. Gray has a solid Day 2 grade entering the fall.
Kitan Oladapo, S
The defensive leader of the Beavers’ defense, Kitan Oladapo is certainly physically imposing and productive. He lined up all over last year, which is good for exposure but also didn’t mitigate his weaknesses. The good news is he translates well into modern NFL defenses that favor multi-safety looks that have one drop into the box as a freelancer.
Oladapo struggles mightily when he’s a slot corner in a man assignment because he’s too stiff and reactive. This isn’t a surprise for a 6’2″, 214-pounder. The right role will get him in coverage against tight ends, bigger receivers, or as a roamer.
He’s much more effective coming downhill or providing support coverage. A terrific tackler and capable blitzer, Oladapo has the potential to be very good in the right scheme. For now, he has an early Day 3 grade with room to grow.
Oregon State Beavers Schedule
- Week 1
BYE - Week 2
Sept. 3: at San Jose State Spartans - Week 3
Sept. 9: vs. UC Davis Aggies - Week 4
Sept. 16: vs. San Diego State Aztecs - Week 5
Sept. 23: at Washington State Cougars - Week 6
Sept. 29: vs. Utah Utes - Week 7
Oct. 7: at California Golden Bears - Week 8
Oct. 14: vs. UCLA Bruins - Week 9
BYE - Week 10
Oct. 28: at Arizona Wildcats - Week 11
Nov. 4: at Colorado Buffaloes - Week 12
Nov. 11: vs. Stanford Cardinal - Week 13
Nov. 18: vs. Washington Huskies - Week 14
Nov. 24: at Oregon Ducks - Week 15
BYE
