Howard Croom - Oregon State University Athletics

2008: Veteran tight end who enters the season as the team’s second-leading returning receiver...good hands and blocker. 2007: 20 receptions for the season, including a career-high five at Arizona State...scored touchdowns against ASU, Stanford and WSU. 2006: One of six true-freshmen to play...made his lone reception, a three-yard catch, in his first collegiate game against Eastern Washington.

WOODROW WILSON: Three-year varsity letterman...started at tight end the last two years and at defensive end as a sophomore until an appendix operation ended his season...42 receptions for 517 yards and three touchdowns as a senior...two-time first team All-Moore League and Long Beach Press Telegram’s Dream Team as a senior...also lettered three years in basketball...team captain as a senior in both sports.

PERSONAL: Born in Long Beach, California...son of Howard and Sharon Croom...has three siblings...Sylvester Croom, the head coach at Mississippi State, is a second cousin...his sister, Ashton, was a softball player at Hampton University...chose OSU because “I liked the area and it feels like home”...majoring in sociology.