COMMITMENT ANALYSIS: What Is Oregon State Getting In JT Byrne?

Carmel (CA) tight end JT Byrne has flown under the radar up to this point. The Beavers offered Byrne back in January, but aside from a couple posts on twitter, there was never any flashing lights that pointed towards a ton of mutual interest or a commitment coming soon. That being said, the staff has been on him heavily ever since the offer.

Byrne and his family took matters into their own hands when COVID ruined their chances of getting any early visits in throughout the spring or summer. After a trip to Corvallis, Byrne knew that Oregon State was the place he wanted to be.

“For me, I just feel like it is the right fit,” Byrne told BeaversEdge. “They have a great staff, the program is full of great people, I love how the offense works, and I definitely love the campus.”

Oregon State U or Tight End U?

The Beavers are certainly making a case to have one of the deepest and most versatile rooms in the entire conference as they picked up a commitment from 2021 TE J.T. Byrne.

With the Beavers already boasting the likes of Teagan Quitoriano, Luke Musgrave, Jake Overman, and Tommy Spencer in the tight end room, the 6-foot-6, 230-pounder will be right at home. Position coach Brian Wozniak has been stellar in seeking out ‘his guys’ on the recruiting trail and when you look at the sheer size and talent of the room, the potential is off the charts. Ever since taking over, Wozniak has searched for big, physical tight ends that are able to really make a difference in the run-blocking game while also being able to break apart a secondary in the receiving game and he’s established a rock-solid group.

Once he arrives on campus, I look for Byrne to have an instant-impact. As we saw this past season with Musgrave, the the Beavers want to get these guys exposed early for a bigger workload sooner than later. In the case of Byrne, he’ll certainly have some established vets in front of him when he arrives, but he’ll fit like a glove in the room and will have great mentors to look to. The tight end position is very, very well set up for the foreseeable future and kudos to Wozniak for his due diligence on the recruiting trail and for his coaching ability.

All in all, with many programs across the Pac-12 and country not putting quite as much of a premium on tight ends, the Beavers have doubled and tripled down over the past several recruiting cycles as they’ve made no qualms about wanting to build a room full of dynamic, tall, and versatile athletes that can do a lot of things and exploit mismatches. Byrne fits the bill for what the Beavers are looking for in a tight end and they’ll certainly be excited for the potential he’ll bring to the room.