Geathers set to join the family business

As Clifton Geathers prepares to start his NFL career, the former South Carolina defensive end will lean on his family for support, advice and ... a killer pass-rush technique.

Such are the benefits of growing up a Geathers.

Geathers is expected this week to become the fourth member of his Georgetown family to be drafted, including the third from his immediate family.

His father, Robert Sr, was a third-round pick of Buffalo in 1981 but never played a down in the NFL because of injury. Robert Jr., his brother, is a starting defensive end for the Cincinnati Bengals.

His uncle, Jumpy Geathers, had a 13-year NFL career and emasculated offensive linemen with a bull-rush move called "The Human Forklift," which he has passed on to his nephew.

"We're going to teach (Clifton) 'The Human Forklift.' That's what Jumpy did all his life in the NFL. No one could block him," Robert Sr. said. "You take the lineman for a ride, like a forklift."

The past few months have been quite a ride for Clifton Geathers, who surprised USC coaches and NFL scouts by declaring for the draft as an underclassman after his lone season as a starter for the Gamecocks.

Geathers is not projected as an early-round pick. But his NFL bloodlines and freakish build - he measured nearly 6-foot-8 and 297 pounds, with 36 3/4-inch arms, at USC's pro day last month - intrigue scouts, some of whom view Geathers as an offensive tackle.

USC defensive line coach Brad Lawing said Geathers recently worked out for the Bengals at offensive tackle. If Cincinnati were to draft him at that position, the Geathers brothers could be going head-to-head at training camp.

But Lawing said Geathers sees himself as a defensive player, and Lawing agrees.

"His dad thought he was an offensive player. We recruited him as a defensive player the whole way through," Lawing said. "I thought he was a defensive end, and he proved to be a pretty good one."

Geathers was suspended for the first game last season, stemming from an off-campus fight that resulted in an eye injury and blurred vision when he returned to the lineup. But Geathers played well down the stretch, highlighted by a five-tackle game against Florida that included 1 1/2 sacks of Tim Tebow.

And then he was gone without any formal announcement.

"I felt that I made the right decision," Geathers said at USC's pro day. "Hopefully, God handles everything and I finish out well."

Geathers followed the lead of his brother and a cousin in foregoing his senior season. The Bengals drafted Robert Jr. in the fourth round in 2004 after he left Georgia a year early. Jeremy Geathers, Jumpy's son, went undrafted in 2008 after becoming the second player in UNLV history to leave school early.

Lawing believes Clifton Geathers will have a productive pro career - in time.

"I told people when he first got here his best years are way down the road ahead of him. His football IQ was not very high when he got here, and he improved tremendously in the three years he was here," Lawing said.

"I wished he'd stayed here and improved himself, but kids make decisions for personal reasons, and I support Cliff in everything he does. But he was just starting to get it."

Geathers said he has taken down "the rearview mirror" and is moving forward, confident that his family members can help him deal with any bumps in the road.

"They comfort me a lot," he said. "Anything I need - any help, any advice, anything I need to talk about - they're there for me."

Including pass-rushing tips. Robert Sr. said Clifton's height makes him an ideal candidate to become the next Human Forklift, assuming he plays defense.

"I think Clifton is happy. He wanted to stay. He loved the Gamecocks. I think he was more curious (about), 'I think I can go and do this,'" Robert Sr. said. "We'll see what happens."

This story was originally published April 21, 2010 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Geathers set to join the family business."