Happy Valley’s Kitan Oladapo ready for big final season with Beavers

CORVALLIS, Ore. (KOIN) -- When Kitan Oladapo arrived on Oregon State’s campus in the summer of 2018, he was a preferred walk-on who chose the school for its engineering program, per his team bio.

Five years later, the Happy Valley native and Central Catholic alum is knocking on the door of the NFL going into his final season with the Beavs.

He could’ve bolted for the pros after last season, per feedback he received from NFL teams.

Oladapo felt he had unfinished business though.

“At this point, I feel like my heart is in Corvallis. Even though I’m glad we went 10-3 last year, I still think there’s a lot of the table. Just a lot we can improve on,” said the defensive back.

Oladapo certainly knows a thing or two about improving.

In his first season with the Beavers, the team went 2-10, with one of those wins being against an FCS team.

Last season? Well, Oladapo already hit on that.

“It means the world to me that I could come to Oregon State and turn it around. To say I helped turn it around,” said Oladapo. “A lot of guys will ask me, ‘Oh, you’re from Happy Valley? You’re from Oregon?’ I love putting Oregon on the map, so it does mean a lot to me.”

In the process, he’s put himself on the map as well.

He may not have anticipated at 18 years old that he’d be a preseason first-team All-Pac-12 selection in his final season, but now?

“Yeah, I do expect that. I think anything below first team at this point is disrespectful. I was talking to the media guy and said, ‘anything below first team, don’t tag me in it,’” said Oladapo with a big laugh. “This is the standard we have. We want to be the best secondary in the conference and then eventually be the best secondary in the nation. I just want to keep proving doubters wrong and setting an example for my younger guys.”

Speaking of those doubters, there are plenty as the Beavers continue to figure out their future in the college sports landscape post this season.

That’s only fueling Oladapo more.

“It does motivate me more because being a west coast kid it does make me sad that there’s no more Pac-12 just for a TV deal,” said Oladapo as he sighed. “But it’s whatever, I can't stop that. It definitely motivates me more that we’ll be the last Pac-12 winners.”