With Oregon State’s preseason football camp on Aug. 1 less than a month away, we look at the Beavers’ top 19 players for 2019. A 19-for-’19, if you will. Come back each day for the newest player on this list. We continue with No. 6, inside linebacker Avery Roberts.
NO. 6: AVERY ROBERTS
Physical stats: 6-1, 230
Year: Redshirt sophomore
Position: Inside linebacker
How he arrived at OSU: Transferred from Nebraska last September
2018 season: Ineligible due to transfer
Career numbers: (at Nebraska), 12 games, no starts, four tackles.
Value to 2019 team: Of all those on Oregon State’s roster, few left high school with better recruiting credentials than Roberts. Consensus 4-star linebackers don’t show up in Corvallis every day. Even at Nebraska, where Roberts lasted into preseason camp during his second year in Lincoln before deciding to make a change. Did Roberts not fit with Scott Frost and his coaches? Not the player his recruiting credentials advertised? Who knows. But he obviously had some talent, as many colleges chased Roberts out of high school. If OSU defensive coordinator Tim Tibesar and linebackers coach Trent Bray can develop Roberts’ skills and find what makes him tick, he could be the Beavers’ greatest addition to the 2019 roster. Oregon State is in desperate need of defensive playmakers, particularly at inside linebacker, where the Beavers aren’t deep. They’re counting on Roberts and his physical style to help improve a run defense that was one of the country’s worst in 2018.
Previous 19-for-’19
No. 19: Elu Aydon
No. 18: Tyjon Lindsey
No. 17: Isaiah Dunn
No. 16: David Morris
No. 15: Trevon Bradford
No. 14: Gus Lavaka
No. 13: Tristan Gebbia
No. 12: Artavis Pierce
No. 11: Brandon Kipper
No. 10: Blake Brandel
No. 9: Jalen Moore
No. 8: Noah Togiai
No. 7: Jesiah Irish
--Nick Daschel | ndaschel@oregonian.com | @nickdaschel
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