We’re just over 3 weeks away from Oregon State football now, and today we’re on #22 of our countdown of the most important players on this year’s team.

#22 - Matthew Tago: Outside Linebacker

Despite the poor showing of the defense last season, the linebackers unit is regarded as one of the relative strengths on that side of the field. One of the reasons for that is the unit’s depth. With veterans like Hamilcar Rashed, exciting transfers like Addison Gumbs, and some young players with a lot of promise. Matthew Tago is part of that last group.

During his freshman season, Tago got quite a bit of gametime, playing in 11 games and getting one start, against Stanford. For the season, he had 19 tackles, 12 of them solo, one sack and two forced fumbles. If you watched the Beavers’ D at all last season, you’ll know that putting pressure on the passer and generating turnovers was a struggle. Tago’s ability to do both in his limited time on the field is a good sign for 2019.

With improvements on the Defensive Line, the Beavers’ Linebackers should have more opportunities to break into the backfield. With another year in the weight room, and another year for the team’s coaches to get their scheme set up, Tago is well placed to make a much bigger impact in his sophomore season.

Projected Stats

31 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles