BeaverBlitz is taking a closer look at the newcomers now that spring camp is over and summer workouts are underway, and defensive lineman Ish Findlayter is one of the more intriguing additions in the group.
Findlayter comes to Corvallis as a 3-star recruit, ranked 136th, after arriving from Duquesne in Pittsburgh, Pa. At 6-foot-4 and 265 pounds, he has the kind of frame that shows up immediately, and the limited practice windows offered a glimpse of that upside.
The staff didn’t get a long look, but the snaps that were visible were enough to suggest he belongs on the field. He moved well for a player his size and carried the look of a defensive lineman ready to compete.
His path to this point is a little different from most. A native of Toronto, Findlayter didn’t even start playing football until 2020, and he began his career at safety before shifting to the defensive line.
That move has clearly worked out. He signed with Virginia Tech out of high school, redshirted there, then transferred to Duquesne and put together a strong 2025 season.
In 10 games for the Dukes, he finished with 21 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 2 pass deflections. PFF gave him a 71.6 overall grade, along with a particularly strong 78.4 run defense grade.
That production gives him a real chance to carve out a role. The defensive line is still an open competition, and that battle is expected to continue into fall camp. Findlayter has the size, the background, and the numbers to make a push, and the most likely path is a rotational role to start the season before he works his way up.
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