The Oregon State Beavers coaching staff has experienced its share of ups and downs both on the field and on the recruiting trail since taking over the program.

But throughout the experience, Oregon State coach Gary Andersen has remained steadfast that the program's top priority in recruiting is to make headway with in-state recruits and build a strong pipeline.

In the class of 2016, the Beavers landed Oregon City wide receiver Trevon Bradford in May, then failed to secure another in-state pledge from a scholarship athlete in the final seven-plus months.

On Tuesday morning, that streak finally came to an end, as Rivals three-star linebacker David Morris committed to Oregon State over fellow finalists California and Washington State.

The deciding factor? Well, for Morris and his family that was pretty simple.

"They were the first ones to believe in me, to offer me, and that meant a ton," he said. "For me, just getting an opportunity to play at the next level was big. The first school to do that was Oregon State, and that meant a lot to my family. Also, having Coach Andersen come down to my football game and actually watch it. That was big for me as well."

The 6-foot-3, 210-pound linebacker/safety, out Sherwood High School, visited Cal, Oregon State and Washington State, but also held offers from Boise State, Colorado State and Hawaii.

Beyond the Beavers being the first to offer, Morris felt a sense of security in Corvallis - it was close to home and carried a family environment that he immediately appreciated.

"I just feel comfortable there. I visited other places, and there are definitely some benefits to other schools, but I just really felt like I could see myself at Oregon State for the next four or five years," he said. "The main thing for me was making sure I could go somewhere and not ever regret going there."

For Oregon State, the commitment is not only a momentum booster within the state after losing both Central defensive tackle Marlon Tuipulotu (Washington) and Madison linebacker Daniel Green (USC) to Pa-12 rivals, but also a sign that they can compete on the recruiting trail with other quality Pac-12 programs.

In other words, Morris (and soon maybe others) are buying in to Andersen's vision of a winning future.

"I am kind of Oregon homegrown. I've been here most of my life and I take pride in that," Morris said. "For me, I wanted to come in and get a shot at playing early up there. I want to go there and make a change, make a difference and really be a part of something that is going to become great. I really see that in Oregon State and the coaching staff. I just can't wait to get up there and put what I can into the program."

Analysis

This is a significant get for the Beavers - both on and off the field.

Oregon State has struggled to consistently land recruits with multiple Pac-12 offers, as well as in-state talent.

Morris obviously fits both.

On the field, the 6-foot-3, 210-pound safety/linebacker moves well enough laterally to stay with wide receivers in the slot or running backs out of the backfield, and physical and long enough to hang with Pac-12 pass-catching tight ends. He isn't afraid to meet a back in the hole or fight through blocks to make a tackle in the backfield.

Throw in Morris' leadership qualities and coach-ability and the Beavers just landed a versatile piece to the defense.

-- Andrew Nemec

anemec@oregonian.com

@AndrewNemec