Barnett talks about Beavers
Lavonte Barnett visited Oregon State in November and after talking with the coaches, getting to know them better and looking at his other options the Lancaster (Calif.) Paraclete three-star athlete said he felt most comfortable in Corvallis.
He decided this week it was time to commit.
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"It was all about the way I felt when I went there," Barnett said. "They are great people, it's a great place, a great school and I can't say enough about Corvallis."
The three-star prospect especially hit it off with defensive line coach Joe Seumalo but really has developed a strong relationship with many of Oregon State's coaches.
That was important to Barnett throughout the recruiting process and was a big reason why the Beavers won out for his services. Cal, Colorado State, Fresno State, Washington State, San Jose State and Cal Poly had also offered but he said none compared to Oregon State.
"I hit it off with them," Barnett said of Oregon State's coaches.
"All their coaches, the position coach for the d-line is a great guy, all the coaches are great people. I had a chance to meet them all and I really enjoyed everything about them."
Barnett finished with 16 sacks this past season and also caught 18 passes for 300 yards and five touchdowns. He wasn't sure of what position he'd specifically play at Oregon State but it's almost certainly on defense.
More important than anything for Barnett was how he felt with the coaching staff and on Oregon State's campus. That made his choice much easier in the end. Paraclete finished 13-1 this season with its only loss coming in the season opener.
"It's about how I felt them" Barnett said. "It made my decision a lot easier as far as that goes. Nobody really compared to them on that level. That really helped me make my decision."