There will be a lot of new faces to this year’s Oregon State team. The Beavers made good use of the portal, and quite a few of these transfers are expected to be key guys. Here are some impact players to watch for when the Beavers open their season at Houston on Saturday.
Dylan Layne – Linebacker, Senior
The Lake Oswego native has drawn a lot of praise from the Beaver coaching staff, and has been named a team captain for this season. He totaled 88 tackles and 5.5 TFLs in 2024 for Idaho, and could be a huge part of the defense in 2026 for Oregon State. It is an experienced group at the middle linebacker position, but Layne appears to be right in the mix, and he should be one of the main defensive players to watch for against #23 Houston.
AJ Newberry – Running Back, Senior
Offensive coordinator Mitch Dahlen referred to the senior transfer as a “true weapon, a home-run hitter.” In three years at the SEC level, Newberry ran for 338 yards and six touchdowns, serving as a backup at Vanderbilt. Now as a senior, Newberry has emphasized that he wants to transfer all that he’s learned from his SEC experience into a big 2026 season with the Beavers. On Saturday morning, he will be making his highly-anticipated Oregon State debut. Newberry and Cornell Hatcher will have to make a big impact on this game if the Beavers are to pull off the upset.
Harlem Howard – Safety, Junior
Defensive coordinator Mike Macintyre acknowledged during Monday’s presser that the junior from Florida has separated himself a bit amongst a thin group of safeties. Harlem Howard was a good prospect out of high school, holding offers from schools like Indiana and Louisville. He saw his first significant collegiate action last year as a redshirt sophomore, playing in eleven games. It sounds as if Howard has made some real strides heading into 2026, and he could be an important player in an Oregon State secondary that lacks a lot of experience.
Braden Atkinson – Quarterback, Sophomore
It’s time for the reigning Jerry Rice award winner to step onto the big stage. After passing for 3,600 yards and 34 TDs last season with Mercer, Atkinson is now set to make his first start at the FBS level. Head coach Jamarcus Shephard has given a lot of praise to his sophomore quarterback for his consistency in mindset and preparation heading into week one. Of course, not everything in this game is going to revolve around the new signal caller. The Beavers will be looking for their pass-catchers to stand out, especially power four transfers Aaron Butler and Aeryn Hampton at wide receiver. But at the end of the day, eyes are certainly going to be on Atkinson, whom coach Shephard has said can place the football exactly where he needs it to go.
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