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Oregon State wide receiver Jesse Legree is one of the best players in college football, and on his team’s bye week, he returned to his Baltimore roots.

While he was back, his dad, Jeff Legree, gave him the signing day ceremony he never had on Friday.

As a senior at Saint Frances Academy last year, Legree watched with a smile as his teammates celebrated signing their own offers on Dec. 3. But, as he told his grandmother, Vanessa Williams, the director of Saint Frances’ middle school, he felt like “nobody wants me.”

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It turned out one school wanted him, but the offer didn’t arrive until the end of the day. When Saint Frances coach Messay Hailemariam received the news that day, he ran down the hall and yelled, “You got a home!”

His teammates mobbed him in a special moment, but Jeff Legree wanted to give his son the ceremony he deserved. So Legree’s friends, family, coaches and teammates gathered in Saint Frances’ gym, which was decked out in orange and black, to see him announce he would return to Oregon State for his sophomore season.

“I knew last year I wasn’t able to have this opportunity, and I knew all my fanbase started in this city, so why not come back and do it at my home place, Saint Frances Academy?” Legree said.

A custom cake and towels bearing Jesse Legree’s name and image were shared as part of the delayed signing day celebration at his former school. (Jerry Jackson/The Banner)

But this year something was different. The rest of the country has picked up on what only Oregon State saw.

Only seven games into the season, Legree leads the Football Bowl Subdivision with 1,040 receiving yards and 14 touchdown catches. The next-closest player, Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith, has 984 yards and 12 touchdowns. After them, the next five pass catchers have receiving yardage totals in the 700s.

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With name, image and likeness and revenue sharing leading many players to follow the money and transfer, Legree could have left for a bigger or richer program. But legendary NFL wide receiver and former Oregon State Beaver Chad Ochocinco pledged $2 million in NIL money to keep Legree at the school.

“Just knowing someone of that status wanting to see my back in Corvallis is just surreal,” said Legree, who described Ochocinco as a mentor.

Vanessa Williams, director of middle school at Saint Frances Academy, gets a hug from Jesse Legree during the celebration of the standout alum. (Jerry Jackson/The Banner)

To celebrate the day, multiple coaches, teammates and family members gave speeches. 247Sports filmed the announcement and had him do a live interview. The Legrees gave out cleats to each of the current Saint Frances football captains, and they provided snacks and cake to mark the occasion.

Legree said he enjoyed being back around the people he started with. And, when the weekend is over, he’ll get back on a plane to return to Oregon State.