Oregon State freshman wide receiver Jesse Legree, one of the country's breakout stars in 2026, has re-signed with the Beavers for 2027, he told ESPN.
Legree leads the nation in receiving yards (1,040), touchdown catches (14) and receiving yards per game (148.6). He has been the focal point of Oregon State's offense in coach Ja Marcus Shephard's first season with the program. "I fell in love with the culture out there," Legree told ESPN. "We've built a great culture and it's only going to get bigger from here. This is going to become the start of a national powerhouse."
Legree arrived as a three-star recruit whom ESPN ranked the No. 89 receiver in the 2026 class. He quickly emerged as the best player in the freshman class, logging 136 receiving yards against Houston in the opener. He followed with his best game of the season, torching Texas Tech for 240 yards and two touchdowns on eight catches. He has caught a touchdown pass in every game this year, including three against Colorado State on Oct. 3.
Oregon State is on a five-game winning streak and in first place in the Pac-12, after winning three league games to open the season. Legree acknowledged that part of the reason for announcing during the bye week was to help attract more talent to Corvallis. "Coach Shephard, coach [Mitch] Dahlen and coach [Mike Mac Intyre] are going to turn us into a national powerhouse," he said. Legree was set to announce the news at his high school, Saint Frances Academy in Baltimore, since he was so lightly recruited that he never had a signing day event.
Source: ESPN General · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing