It’s official: The state’s No. 1-ranked offensive lineman — current Class of 2022 Canby High School senior Jacob Strand — will continue his football career at Oregon State University. (Obligatory “Go Beavers.”)
The 6-5, 270-pound star tackle for the Cougs netted a scholarship offer from the premier Division I program almost a month ago following a private workout, but just announced his decision this week on Twitter.
Jacob Strand on Twitter: “ALL IN‼️#gobeavs @Coach_Smith @JakeCookus @FBCoachM @dyray22 @BeaverFootball @Canby_Football @JimmyJjoyce65 @AndrewNemec @JordanJ_ pic.twitter.com/Z3yK39tJtN / Twitter”
ALL IN‼️#gobeavs @Coach_Smith @JakeCookus @FBCoachM @dyray22 @BeaverFootball @Canby_Football @JimmyJjoyce65 @AndrewNemec @JordanJ_ pic.twitter.com/Z3yK39tJtN
“First things first, I want to thank God for blessing me with this opportunity,” Strand said. “I’d like to thank my parents for pushing me every day to be the best man on and off the field. Thank you to all coaches who have taught me in the past.”
“Really happy for Jacob,” Canby head football coach Jimmy Joyce said. “He is a tremendous student-athlete and a great young man. A true ambassador for Canby High School and our football team.”
Joyce said he saw the tremendous potential in Strand as a sophomore — which was his first year at the helm of the Cougars — and his athleticism and ability were on full display even during the truncated football season this spring.
Strand, who was the No. 1 offensive lineman in the state by Prep Redzone Oregon earlier this year and has ranked highly in other outlets, will play his final season in Canby this fall.
“We are just happy that he has another year under the lights at Cougar Stadium,” Joyce said. “It should be a fun time for Jacob, his teammates and the school.”
The NCAA lifted all Covid-19 recruiting restrictions on June 1, and Oregon State was just one of the many schools to quickly take advantage. That Strand was one of the very first prospects the Beavs invited out showed out highly they thought of the Canby recruit.
“I was in shock when I got the offer — truly life-changing,” Strand told The Canby Current in an earlier interview. “I was hoping all day that the time would come, and when it did, I was at a loss of words.
“My coach told me one day that I had the possibility to play football in college. That statement has been my biggest motivation, pushing me through all the hard times.”
Strand joins a stellar recruiting class for Oregon State, which already includes 247Sports four-star center Dylan Lopez and a pair of three-star cornerbacks: Carlos Mack and Skyler Thomas.
