High School

Oregon State Beavers hosting 2 of state's top running backs this weekend

Andrew Nemec

Killian Sombe transferred to Central Catholic and helped the Rams win the 2023 Class 6A state championship.
Killian Sombe transferred to Central Catholic and helped the Rams win the 2023 Class 6A state championship. / Photo by Leon Neuschwander

The Oregon State Beavers are hosting the UNLV Rebels on Saturday evening, which provides the perfect backdrop to host some of the regions top prospects.

And there's no doubt Oregon State is paying attention to the running back position close to home.

Both Lake Oswego (Oregon) star LaMarcus Bell and Central Catholic (Oregon) standout Killian Sombe will be in attendance.

Bell, the top running back in Oregon in 2026, holds early offers from Boise State, Illinois, Oregon State and Washington State, and has seen his stock rise significantly this fall.

After earning running back MVP at the Northwest Showcase this summer, Sombe suffered a torn ACL right before the start of his junior campaign.

Still, he holds offers from Boise State, Washington State and Yale, and has continued to speak to Oregon State frequently.

"I have a pretty great relationship with Oregon State, specifically coach (Thomas) Ford Jr," Sombe said. "All the conversations I’ve had with him are always genuine. They don’t feel scripted or like he just wants to know me as an athlete. The last time we talked in person it wasn’t just about football it was about how things are going in my life and school. ...He’s someone I could really see myself playing for in the future and being apart of his running back room."

Although he doesn't yet have an offer, he's hopeful one will come soon - even as he continues to rehab from his knee injury.

"I believe I'll earn an opportunity to come play at Oregon State," Sombe said, hopefully. "Obviously, you always wish for things to come now, but I know things will fall into place when they’re meant to. Earning an offer to Oregon State would be another big school for me. it would give me an in-state option."

He is also still hearing from Georgia Tech, Idaho, Ole Miss and others.

While there's some level of regret about missing a key high school season for his development, Sombe has maintained a positive outlook on his future.

"I definitely would’ve liked to earn (more) opportunities this year, but I can only control the control-ables and right now that is managing my relationships with those programs," he said.

Analysis

The class of 2026 is loaded at the running back position in the state of Oregon.

Bell and Sombe are excellent talents, but so too is Lakeridge star Ansu Sanoe, who committed to Washington over Georgia and others.

The Beavers are likely to prioritizing landing at least one of the two visitors this weekend - if not both - by the time the class of 2026 is signed, sealed and delivered.

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Andrew Nemec
ANDREW NEMEC

Andrew Nemec covers national high school recruiting and brings more than a decade of experience. Andrew hosts "Recruiting with Andrew Nemec" on ESPN-affiliate 1080 The FAN in Portland, Oregon. He holds a journalism degree from the University of Oregon.

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