I decided to start this post with highlights from the Beavers best victory of 2018. Their incredible comeback win at Boulder. Watch the highlights carefully please. Check out the guy who will anchor the Wide Receiver corps of the Beavers in 2019. Isaiah Hodgins was unreal in that overtime win. He and a deep group of wideouts could be tough to stop in 2019. Let's go through some of the key players at WR who are expected to contribute this fall. I asked OSU Hall of Famer Jim Wilson to pick out five of the Wide Receivers on the roster to focus on and we added a sixth. At the top of the list.
ISAIAH HODGINS
His Sophomore season was pretty impressive:
• Played in 11 games, making nine starts
• Led Oregon State with 59 receptions for 876 yards. Scored five touchdowns
• Tied the Oregon State single-game record with 14 receptions at Nevada. Totaled 200 yards against the Wolf Pack, the 10th-best single-game total in OSU history
• Finished with 11 receptions for 146 yards in the overtime win at Colorado. Tallied 10 receptions in the second half, which ties for the second-most ever in a half by an OSU player
• Registered four 100-yard games, adding to that mark with 129 yards versus USC and 133 against Oregon
• Picked up his first career two touchdown game against Nevada. Scored two again at Colorado
• Thirty-five of his 59 catches went for at least 10 yards, ranking eighth in the Pac-12
• Sixth in the Pac-12 with 79.6 receiving yards per game
• All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention
• Pac-12 All-Academic Honorable Mention
So no doubt he can be a big time player for the Beavers in 2019.
Jim Wilson's thoughts on Hodgins? He is impressed with his range. He is big and strong at 6'4" and 203 pounds, He can jump for the ball and he has tremendous hands. Check out the Colorado video. Hodgins is also a vocal team leader who has a great connection with Jake Luton. Hodgins will be fun to watch.
TREVON BRADFORD
He has tremendous speed and the ability to outrun or outthink his defenders. His 2018 numberrs are impressive:
• Has played in 30 games, starting 13, and has totaled 72 catches for 913 yards and seven touchdowns. Has also carried the ball 14 times for 176 yards overall
2018 (JUNIOR)
• Named All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention
• Played in 11 games, totaling 56 catches for 649 yards and three touchdowns. Added 12 carries for 136 yards and five punt returns
• Finished with a career-best 10 catches against USC, finishing with 63 yards receiving
• Topped 100 yards receiving twice: had 104 in the season opener against Ohio State and 120 at Stanford
• Had a career-long 63-yard reception against the Cardinal
• Caught five or more passes in seven of his 11 games
• Posted two receiving touchdowns in the season opener at Ohio State, including one for 49 yards
• Ran for a career-long 56-yard rush against Washington State
• Tallied two carries for 35 yards against Washington
Jim Wilson says he might be the Beavers most versatile Wide Receiver. He can return punts and kickoffs and the Oregon Ciry product will be one of the team leaders on the field.
TYJON LINDSAY
2018 (SOPHOMORE)
• Transferred to the program from Nebraska midway through the season. Did not play for the Beavers due to NCAA transfer rules
NEBRASKA
• Played in four games for the Cornhuskers in 2018. Made four catches for 22 yards
• Saw action in all 12 games as a true freshman for Nebraska in 2017, starting once, making 12 receptions for 76 yards
• Posted a season-best three catches twice in 2017; versus Arkansas State and at Oregon
Lindsay had different choices but made Corvallis his new home. It will be exciting to see how quickly he will adapt to Jonathan Smith's offense and if he will play both the slot and outside receiving positions. Kyfense Hynson the Oregon State Wide Recievers coach breaks down Tyjon Lindsay:
JESIAH IRISH
Played in four games and utilized his redshirt under the NCAA rules
• Caught two passes for 23 yards at Stanford
• Returned four kickoffs at Washington, for 80 yards. Also returned two punts for 15 yards at Nevada
So what a benefit for the Beavers. Jesiah Irish plays in four games last season but because of the NCAA Rules change he is now a redshirt Freshman. He is most likely the team's fastest player and has tremendous hands. He could also find himself returning kicks and punts. Jim Wilson says his speed will help keep defenses honest.
CHAMP FLEMINGS
We all know Champ Flemings is 5'5" 140 pounds but he has the heart of a lion. He made a huge catch in the win at Boulder and he will be remembered for the 57 yard kickoff return vs the Cougs in which he started the play laying down in the endzone. (love that)
The highlight package to follow shows that return but not him laying down.
2018 (REDSHIRT FRESHMAN)
• Played in all 12 games
• Made four catches for 68 yards, ran the ball four times and returned 29 kickoffs for 608 yards - an average of 21 yards per
• Ran for a 57-yard kickoff return against Washington State, the longest of the season. Also ran back a 54-yard kick against Oregon in the season finale
• Caught two passes for 42 yards against Washington State. Also caught two passes, for 26 yards, in the overtime win at Colorado
KOLBY TAYLOR
Jim Wilson likes Kolby Taylor. The redshirt Sophomore made some pretty good waves during his Freshman season.
• Played in 11 games
• Caught seven passes for 93 yards
• Tallied a season-high three receptions at Nevada, totaling 60 yards. That included a season-long 28-yard catch
• Caught two passes for 16 yards at Arizona State
• Pac-12 All-Academic Honorable Mention
Wilson says he is dependable....will make the big catch and should only improve this season.
Overall, the Wide Reciever position at Oregon State is solid with other battling for playing time. Hodgins, Bradford, Irish and potentially Lindsay will see a ton of playing time in 2019.
Next up: Quarterback