National Football League

Clemson's Beasley, star of 'The Panel,' may be draft's fastest riser

Published Mar. 20, 2015 11:15 a.m. ET

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ATLANTA -- Vic Beasley would like to set the record straight:

He's absolutely thrilled and humbled to be an esteemed member of the 2015 NFL Draft class -- as a heat-seeking, ballcarrier-crunching defensive end.

But in a perfect world, Beasley would be making the seismic leap from college to pro ... as a quarterback.

"I had to play defense in high school, just because our team was limited in talent," recalled Beasley, who will star in an upcoming epsiode of The Panel, which debuts on FOX Sports South March 22 (9:30 p.m). "If I could do it all over again, I'd probably play quarterback."

Offensive dreams aside, Beasley (who idolized QB Michael Vick growing up) seems rather content over the choices that led to him being one of the draft's most heralded prospects. Of equal importance, he's not afraid to reinvent himself on the fly.

In high school (Adairsville, Ga., roughly 40 minutes northwest of Atlanta), Beasley dominated the competition as a rail-thin linebacker.

In college (Clemson), Beasley dutifully accepted the position switch from tight end to defensive end, even if that meant shedding never-ending blocks from offensive linemen who routinely had 40, 50 or even 60 pounds on the kid who ate and ate ... but rarely put on weight.

Over time, Beasley would grow into the stature of becoming Clemson's all-time sack leader, breaking Michael Dean Perry's record of three decades (27 sacks).

And for the pro scouts and NFL general managers, Beasley's latest transformation includes the stealth art of packing on 15-plus pounds ... without losing any of the supreme gifts of quickness, flexibility and explosion.

"If (the NFL people) want me to put on more (weight), that won't be a problem," said Beasley, who checked in at 6-foot-3, 246 pounds at the combine. "I tend to keep my speed and versatility."

* * *

The NFL Combine may be a boon for TV networks and social media, but it's also a vast wasteland of forgettable 40 times and bench-press reps.

As in, Who remembers the specific 40 time of an offensive tackle prospect, or the accuracy numbers of a QB outside of Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota -- the consensus first-rounders among passers?

In short, the combine may be a wonderful tool for the participating clubs ... but it can also be a lot of white noise for the TV-viewing public.

That doesn't apply to Vic Beasley, though. His performances with the 40 (4.53), bench presses and agility drills stood out from the pack. And his weight gain was a popular talking point for NFL Network Mike Mayock, who marveled at Beasley's superior athletic gifts, in the wake of moving up a weight class.

As such, Beasley had quickly morphed from a mid-Round 1 pick to quite possibly the best edge-rusher in the draft -- ahead of/on par with USC's Leonard Williams, Nebraska's Randy Gregory, Missouri's Shane Ray and Florida's Dante Fowler Jr.

"Last year (at this time), I was getting ready for spring ball; but now I'm focused on the draft and playing in the NFL. So, it's been a transition," says Beasley. "But it's also been quite easy for me to adapt to."

The above comment might come off as boastful or self-indulgent, if it weren't coming from Beasley, a wide-eyed, pleasant soul who has an aw-shucks sensibility about his wild ride through the NFL Draft Machine.

But the kid's not lying. He understands the power of adaptability.

In high school, Beasley was asked by the Adairsville High track coach to participate in the triple jump, even though he had zero experience with an event that ranks up there with pole vaulting and 330-meter high hurdles -- i terms of degree of difficulty.

At first, Beasley was bemused by the request. Over time, though, he adjusted to the discipline of the triple jump, taking second place in the Georgia track regionals.

Which begs the question: How does the triple jump extrapolate to the game of football?

"It helped with my explosion. It helped with my vertical leap. It made me better," says Beasley.

That improvement curve was on full display during Beasley's junior campaign at Clemson.

As a tight end, he (obviously) didn't record a single sack during his freshman year. As a sophomore, he made tangible strides as a rush linebacker/defensive end. But the next year, everything fell into place, with Beasley racking up 13 sacks -- a single-season record at Clemson.

As a follow-up, Beasley notched 12 sacks as a senior, eclipsing Perry's all-time Tigers record.

It's also worth noting: For the 2014 campaign, opposing offenses routinely ran their systems away from Beasley -- including the final play of the Clemson- Louisville game ... in which the Cardinals (down 23-17) were denied on a 4th and goal at the 2, with no time left on the clock.

"(The Louisville game) was definitely crazy, a lot of energy (at Memorial Stadium) ... I kept thinking, 'We can't lose this game,'" recalled Beasley, just seconds after the Tigers surrendered a 75-yard pass play to the Cardinals -- setting up the goal-line tete-a-tete.

On that 4th and 2, Louisville QB Reggie Bonnafon tentatively scrambled to the right, looking for a receiver ... while also trying to avoid Beasley in the process. "When (teams) roll out, they tend to do it away from me; and when they come at me, it's usually with a running back."

Beasley should get comfortable with the notion of offenses avoiding his side at all costs -- just like he should be prepared for the opposite occurrence: Innovative O-coordinators creating intricate game plans for Sunday, with the dual purpose of attacking and frustrating the rookie.

"Clemson prepared me real well ... To be a great player, I feel like you've got to watch film, really study your opponent a lot," says Beasley, who understands the gravy train of solely relying on athletic talent has few stops in the NFL.

Especially if his NFL career path involves moving back to linebacker, full time.

"I played a lot of linebacker in high school before moving to defensive end (at Clemson). That should be a big challenge for me."

* * *

The Great Blue North Draft Report, one of the longest-tenured, most-respected draft-scouting sites on the Web, has Beasley ticketed for the Bears at No. 7 overall, which seems like an ideal move for three reasons:

a) The Bears allowed a staggering 27.6 points per game last year (second-worst in the NFL), including back-to-back outings of 50 points (against the Packers and Patriots).

b) Chicago was a middle-of-the-pack outfit with sacks last year, with only Willie Young racking up double-digit sacks (10).

c) With Jared Allen, Lance Briggs and Charles Tillman in the 'twilight' stage of their careers, the Bears need someone -- anyone -- to become the signature face of the defense.

Plus, moving to Chicago would be fine for Beasley, who happily says, "I'll go anywhere. I'm trying to be (drafted) as high as I can."

And should Beasley fall one additional slot in the top 10, the Atlanta Falcons could easily scoop up the Clemson dynamo and Georgia native with the 8th pick.

"That's pretty much a dream scenario," says Beasley.

The Falcons -- who crave defensive playmakers with speed -- would undoubtedly share that sentiment.

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