Oregon State WR Jesse Legree set to return to Beavers in 2027

Oregon State wide receiver Jesse Legree is expected to return to the program in 2027. He is in the midst of a standout freshman campaign in Corvallis and is among the nation’s leading receivers.

Through seven games, Legree has 1,040 receiving yards, making him the only player in the country to reach the 1,000-yard mark. His 148.6 receiving yards per game is also the highest in the FBS, averaging eight yards more than Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith.

$19.99 gets you a FULL year of On3 | Rivals national coverage

At the midway point of the year, Legree was On3’s True Freshman of the Year and also a second-team Midseason All-American. In the most recent On3 Heisman Trophy Poll after Week 7, he sat fourth in the voting with 91 points.

Legree has been a breakout star at Oregon State this year under first-year Beavers head coach JaMarcus Shephard. In fact, Shephard told On3’s Pete Nakos that early in his tenure, his general manager Eron Hodges took a liking to Legree and thought the wide receiver prospect could be a fit.

Watch on Fubo (Try for Free)

“He said, ‘Hey, we can’t forget about this kid here at St. Frances. He would be great for us,’” Shephard told On3. “And I mean, we started that process right then and there of contacting his coaches, his family, and him to get him involved here at Oregon State. He was the first recruit that we called and talked to when we got here.”

As a recruit, Jesse Legree played high school football at Baltimore (Md.) St. Frances Academy, where he was a three-star prospect. He was the No. 1,631 overall player from the 2026 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking.

Oregon State has become one of the stories of the 2026 college football season in Shephard’s debut season. After an 0-2 start with losses to No. 23 Houston and No. 13 Texas Tech, the Beavers have rattled off five straight victories, most recently defeating Washington State 48-30 last time out.

As Oregon State heads into the bye week, the Beavers sit a half-game ahead of Boise State in the Pac-12 standings at 3-0 in conference play. They will be back in action on Halloween with a road matchup against Fresno State.