Huskies Offer Speedy Oregon State Receiver in the Transfer Portal

Originally posted on Washington Huskies on SI
By Dan Raley | Last updated Jan 5, 2024 1:00 PM ET

Exciting playmaker Silas Bolden continued the exodus of football coaches and players out of Oregon State by entering the transfer portal this week and he immediately pulled 10 offers, including one from Washington.

The Huskies offered the 5-foot-8, 157-pound Bolton on Thursday, giving him lots to think about.

He has opportunities to rejoin former Beavers coach Jonathan Smith at Michigan State, go to USC where the Trojans are resetting or come to the UW's high-powered offense that has brought them to Monday's national championship game against Michigan.

Others sending offers Bolden's way are Arizona, Auburn, California, Illinois, Kansas State, Mississippi State and Utah. He has one year of eligibility remaining.

The attraction to Bolden is his flat-out speed making him capable of going the distance at any time. The conference voted him in as a second-team All-Pac-12 kick returner each of the past two seasons.

“You’ve just got to play with no fear, go out there with confidence, make plays,” Bolden said

Bolden, who hails from Rancho Cucamonga, California, led the Beavers in receiving this past season with 54 receptions for 746 yards and 5 scores. He also scored twice by rushing the football and returned a punt 52 yards for a touchdown.

Against the Huskies in a November monsoon, he caught 5 balls for 64 yards and returned 3 kickoffs for 57 yards in a 22-20 loss to Kalen DeBoer's team in Corvallis.

On the small side, Bolden has had fend for himself and show people his size is no hindrance.

"I'm fast. Most people think I can't jump high, [but] I can jump pretty high," he said before the season. "I feel like I can go up and over people, even with my size. So people might underestimate what I can do. I'm gonna get there; y'all just gonna have to see in 2023. Stay tuned. I've got some big plans, so just be ready for it this season."

Bolden, who's older brother Victor Jr. played for Oregon State in 2013-16, was at his best against a 10th-ranked Utah team. In a 21-7 victory in Corvallis, he took a pitch and scored from 45 yards out and caught a 27-yard TD pass.

He leaves Corvallis with 80 career receptions for 1,076 yards and 9 scores, and ran 21 times for 202 yards and 4 scores.

This article first appeared on Washington Huskies on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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