Oregon State’s fall camp hasn’t produced a depth chart yet, but it has already produced a few clear winners.
Three weeks into camp, the momentum is easy to spot. Some of it belongs to transfers who have wasted no time making themselves useful.
Some of it belongs to a veteran who is turning a lost year into a comeback. And some of it belongs to the man behind the scenes changing how the roster looks and feels.
AJ Newberry has been one of the loudest success stories. The senior running back arrived in Corvallis with SEC pedigree, and he’s backing it up fast. This week, he landed on the Doak Walker Award preseason watch list, and offensive coordinator Mitch Dahlen has been more than willing to rave about what Newberry brings to a backfield with plenty of bodies.
"He's just different," Dahlen said. "He's about the most unique skill-set guy we've had at that position in a while.
He's just a true weapon." Dahlen also said Newberry has shown real improvement in pass protection, noting that he has "done a really good job of just taking the air out of blocks" now that fall camp doesn’t allow cut blocking.
If Newberry has brought polish, Aeryn “Bubba” Hampton has brought edge. The transfer receiver has made it clear that he wants to play bigger than his size, and that mindset has fit neatly with a coaching staff that wants physical play on the perimeter.
"I wouldn't say I'm just undersized, but that's just the heart that I play with," Hampton said. "I don't care if you're 7 foot or you're 6-10, I just feel like it's me versus you, and I don't want to lose."
Dahlen has pointed to Hampton’s SEC background and big-play ability, and his existing relationship with Shephard before arriving in Corvallis has helped him settle in quickly. For an offense still finding its shape under a new staff, Hampton already looks like an important piece.
At quarterback, the Beavers still haven’t named a starter, and the media haven’t seen a single 11-on-11 rep during camp. Even so, Braden Atkinson has kept forcing his way into the conversation. The Mercer transfer came in as the reigning Jerry Rice Award winner, given annually to the top freshman in FCS football, after throwing for just under 3,600 yards and 34 touchdowns in 11 games last season.
Maalik Murphy still has the presumed edge because of his experience, but Atkinson has apparently pushed him hard throughout camp. With Shephard and Dahlen keeping things close to the vest until the opener, Atkinson turning a year ago’s zero FBS experience into a legitimate competition is one of camp’s quieter wins.
TJ Crandall’s story is different, but just as encouraging. The defensive back transferred in after productive stops at Colorado State and West Virginia, then missed all of 2025 with an injury before he could ever get on the field for Oregon State. Instead of fading into the background, he’s returned heavier, healthier, and sounding like one of the more established voices in the secondary.
Crandall arrived roughly 10 pounds heavier, and he said the cornerback and safety rooms have blended well even with a wave of new faces. "I've been around a lot of DBs in my life; I think we've got a great group of guys," Crandall said.
"We've got quite a few new guys, and I think we all mesh well together; we communicate well." After a year away, he’s back in the mix and immediately looking like a trusted presence.
And then there’s Jeff Eaton, the offseason addition who isn’t wearing a helmet but may be one of the biggest reasons camp has looked the way it has. Oregon State brought him in as director of strength and conditioning as part of Shephard’s staff, and he arrived with a résumé that includes stops at Oregon, Virginia Tech, Miami and Purdue, where he first worked with Shephard.
The physical changes around the roster have been obvious. Wheaton added 14 pounds, Crandall and safety Sean Craig each added 10, and Glasper and safety Harlem Howard each put on nine.
Several receivers and offensive linemen have made similar jumps. Those gains have shown up in how players talk about themselves, too.
Glasper called the added size "essential" after feeling too light last year, and Crandall linked his weight gain to getting back to full strength after his lost season.
That’s why Eaton’s first offseason has already stood out. In a camp where so many of the player quotes keep circling back to being bigger, stronger, and more physical, his influence has been easy to see.
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