Clemson’s Vic Beasley ready for first-round call in NFL Draft

Vic Beasley stands in familiar territory, valued but not quite coveted.

That might seem curious for a young man seemingly destined for an early call in the NFL Draft.

Yet, because of the range and disparity of opinions by those who evaluate pro football talent, Beasley could be selected as early as No. 3 or slip to the middle of the first round because of concerns that he’s not worthy of Top-10 status.

Beasley was not a lock when he arrived at Clemson from Adairsville, Ga. Quick and athletic, he was going to be a tight end. His instincts with the ball in his hands as a high school running back screamed offense, but he seemed indifferent to the move. When they experimented the next year at linebacker, Beasley didn’t respond well there, either.

Finally, he was assigned to Marion Hobby, a defensive line coach with a firm, nurturing hand. Technically raw, Beasley prepared for his third year at Clemson as a backup defensive end with a green light. New defensive coordinator Brent Venables wasn’t sure what he had, but Beasley’s instructions were fundamental.

Find the quarterback. See the quarterback. Get the quarterback.

As such, in three seasons he became the most productive pass rusher to wear a Clemson uniform. His 33 sacks surpassed Gaines Adams and the legendary Perry brothers and put him on a fast track to the NFL, the latest in a run of game-changing defenders from Clemson.

Over the past decade, Clemson has produced Beasley, Da’Quan Bowers – who holds the school record for sacks in a season – and Adams. Bowers arrived as one of the nation’s top defensive line prospects, so his future was etched. Adams, like Beasley, was raw, but quickly assimilated to defense after playing both sides at a tiny private school. Beasley continues to be a work in progress.

If there’s a common thread, it’s the increasing opportunities to track down quarterbacks more intent on throwing the ball than handing it to another back, which brings us to Beasley’s relative value to an NFL team.

While the game at all levels has become more reliant on passing, the NFL still requires extraordinary power. Beasley recognized it early and worked to expand his game and become more proficient against the run. Then, to prepare for this transition, he added nearly 20 pounds of muscle.

And while, at 6-foot-3, he might be an inch or two short to be a traditional, hand-down NFL end, Beasley should be a natural as a standup outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme. At least, that’s what scouts envision.

Based on his numbers at the NFL Combine, the additional weight was not an impediment. “Teams privately gushed about his ability to carry speed at the combine to go along with his additional weight,” was the bottom line analysis by NFL.com in February.

Proficient, productive pass rushers are deeply coveted, yet three widely consulted draft analysts, including Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay, do not have Beasley among their top 10 prospects.

“Beasley, to me, is a tough evaluation,” Kiper said. “He played out of position as a down end, so he’s not going to be dominating these big tackles like he was.

“He’s a feared guy coming off the edge,” said Kiper, who rated him No. 16. “He’s got to play the run better. He’s got to maintain that weight.”

On the other hand, Bucky Brooks of NFL.com and CBS.com’s NFL Draft Scout list Beasley as the No. 6 overall prospect.

McShay concedes that Beasley could be more valuable than he projects, and in a recent mock draft placed him at No. 13 to New Orleans. Still, McShay wasn’t backing off. “I know many evaluators are higher on him than I am,” he wrote, “but the lack of physicality and power to his game is concerning to me.”

On the contrary, wrote Brooks: “The most explosive pass rusher in the draft has steadily climbed up the charts after impressing scouts and coaches with his overall athleticism and burst in workouts. Beasley possesses rare first-step quickness and delivers the kind of splash plays that executives expect from a top-10 talent.”

Quiet and deeply immersed in his Christian faith, Beasley was an enigma at Adairsville High, where he often confounded his coaches by his unwillingness to always practice at top speed. There was speculation after one year of college he wasn’t fully enamored with the experience and might come home.

Yet, with Hobby’s assistance, Beasley found his niche, quietly with no fanfare. No look-at-me chest thumping or screaming like Hulk.

Beasley could be preparing for his second pro season had he not chosen to return and complete work on a degree in sociology. A year ago, he was projected for the second round. And while the extra college season improving his marketability to the pros wasn’t the foremost reason for his return, it should pay a sweet dividend.

Particularly if the team that selects him in the first round covets what he’ll bring.

“There’s no question he’s a first-rounder,” Kiper said. “I’d just like to see him play harder over four quarters.”

This story was originally published April 29, 2015 at 7:12 PM with the headline "Clemson’s Vic Beasley ready for first-round call in NFL Draft."