Oregon State will need a new leader on defense for the 2025 season, as one of their standout young players from 2024 is leaving the program. Linebacker Isaiah Chisom has announced his decision to enter the transfer portal. Chisom, a Midseason Freshman All-American, had been a key contributor for the Beavers.
Over two seasons, Chisom accumulated 89 total tackles, one sack, and a forced fumble, with most of his production coming in 2024. This past season, he recorded 75 total tackles, including 30 solo stops, along with a forced fumble. Chisom also had two games with double-digit tackles, posting 11 against Air Force and 10 against top-ranked Oregon. Overall, he demonstrated consistent playmaking ability with five games of seven or more tackles.
Oregon State has operated in a smaller, two-team Pac-12 conference alongside Washington State since the conference’s restructuring. Chisom’s departure comes ahead of the conference’s planned expansion to eight teams in 2026, which will include programs such as Boise State, Fresno State, San Diego State, and Colorado State.
Chisom joined Oregon State from Chaminade High School in West Hills, California, where he was a standout player. A 2023 graduate, he had drawn interest from several programs, receiving 14 scholarship offers. In addition to Oregon State, Pac-12 schools such as Cal, Arizona, USC, and Colorado recruited him, as well as Michigan State from outside the conference.
Chisom is one of seven Oregon State players to enter the transfer portal recently, according to reports. He is the second linebacker to leave, following outside linebacker DJ Wesolak. The Beavers’ defense also lost cornerback Andre Jordan Jr., who entered the portal on December 5. On offense, the team will part ways with quarterback Gevani McCoy, who announced his transfer decision on December 7.