Sneak peek: Five Oregon State players to watch ahead of Saturday's rivalry showdown

The No. 10 Oregon Ducks and No. 22 Oregon State Beavers will face off this weekend for the 126th iteration of their storied rivalry.

The Ducks hold an all-time advantage in the series with 67 wins. The Beavers have 48 wins, and there have been 10 ties along the way.

Saturday figures to be the most competitive head-to-head matchup between the two teams in at least a decade. The Beavers (8-3, 5-3 Pac-12) are enjoying their best season since 2012 and will hope to build on their strong campaign with an upset win over their in-state rivals.

Oregon (9-2, 7-1) is on the verge of securing a fourth consecutive trip to the conference title game. But the Ducks are dinged up at the moment, and it’s still unclear if star quarterback Bo Nix will be available to play.

It goes without saying that there will be plenty at stake for both programs Saturday in Corvallis.

Here are five Oregon State players who could have a major impact on this weekend’s rivalry showdown.

RB Damien Martinez

Oregon State has a long-established reputation for producing standout running backs. True freshman Damien Martinez is the next in line.

A 3-star signee who flew under the radar as a recruit, Martinez is turning heads during his debut season in Corvallis. He is fourth in the Pac-12 with 867 rushing yards and has run for at least 100 yards in each of Oregon State’s last five games.

Pro Football Focus has issued him a rushing grade of 90.6; the 12th-best in the nation among running backs.

Finding a way to stop Martinez will be priority No. 1 for the Ducks on Saturday.

DB Jaydon Grant

Jaydon Grant is the heart and soul of Oregon State’s defense.

The seventh-year senior was a no-star recruit in the class of 2016 who nearly pursued a college basketball career before walking on to play football at Oregon State. Since then, he has established himself as one of the most impactful players in program history.

A hard-hitting, versatile defensive back, Grant is to Oregon State what Bennett Williams is to Oregon. He is effective as both a nickel corner and free safety and has upped his productivity this season.

Grant has racked up 52 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, three interceptions, and one sack in 10 games this season.

LT Joshua Gray

Redshirt sophomore left tackle Joshua Gray might be the best sheer football player on Oregon State’s roster.

A three-year starter for the Beavers, he’s one of the best tackles in the conference and sets the tone for an outstanding Oregon State offensive line. He’s a legitimate NFL prospect who Mel Kiper Jr. currently lists as the third-best draft-eligible guard for the 2023 Draft.

Gray has not surrendered a sack this season and has allowed just 10 pressures. His PFF run-blocking grade of 83.4 is the 12th-best in the nation among all offensive linemen.

WR Tre’Shaun Harrison

In senior wideout Tre’Shaun Harrison, the Beavers have a true playmaking threat.

A former 4-star recruit who spent two seasons at Florida State, Harrison has been Oregon State’s most effective receiver since joining the program in 2020. Even with some up-and-down play at quarterback this year, he has caught 50 passes for 589 yards and four touchdowns.

Harrison is at his best when running over the middle, with 192 of his yards this season coming on intermediate routes between the numbers.

The battle between Harrison and Christian Gonzalez will be one to watch.

CB Rejzohn Wright

Those who follow the popular Netflix show “Last Chance U” are probably familiar with Rezjohn Wright, who was one of the stars of the show’s fifth season.

The former Laney College standout joined his brother, Nashon Wright, at Oregon State in 2020. Much like his brother did, Wright is working his way onto some NFL radars after a couple of very good seasons in Corvallis.

The 6-foot-2 senior has been a true lockdown corner in 2022.

According to PFF, Wright has been targeted 50 times this season and given up a reception on just 46% of those targets. That’s the best rate in the Pac-12 among defenders who play regularly.

Wright and senior cornerback Alex Austin form arguably the best outside cornerback duo in the conference. It will be intriguing to see how Troy Franklin and Dont’e Thornton fare against them.