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Evaluating Vic Beasley’s 2015 NFL Draft Stock

By @Spencer_NFL

Vic Beasley Clemson

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Vic Beasley is one of the most explosive pass rushers in college football. The Clemson Tigers‘ star defensive end will likely be changing positions in the NFL, but that won’t prevent a team from selecting him early in the draft.

Beasley had a great start to his senior season as he was credited with eight sacks and 10 tackles for loss through Clemson’s first six games. That production has been halted since as he has not recorded a sack in his last four games. The best way to evaluate his ability as a pass rusher is by looking at his performances against the top offensive tackles in the ACC. He’s faced both Cameron Erving of Florida State and Sean Hickey of Syracuse each of the last two seasons. In those four games, Beasley has recorded four sacks and 13 tackles.

He’s best known for his ability as a speed rusher off the edge. On a national stage against Florida State, Beasley twice sacked QB Sean Maguire after blowing by Erving, who is one of the more agile left tackles in the country. Although the outside rush is his go-to move, he does have a vast skillset. He also has sacks this season on inside swim and power moves. His sack of North Carolina QB Marquise Wilson showcased his deceptive power.

Despite his ability to pressure the QB, there are doubts that he can be successful in the NFL. The biggest concern is his size. At 6-foot-3 and 235 pounds, Beasley is too small to play defensive end at the next level. Similar to 2014 No. 1 pick Jadeveon Clowney, Beasley will move to OLB. Unfortunately, he’s still on the small side for that position. He’s two inches and more than 30 pounds smaller than Clowney.

Even his most common NFL comparisons, Bruce Irvin of the Seattle Seahawks and Barkevious Mingo of the Cleveland Browns, are taller and heavier than Beasley.

He has two other areas of concern: the pass and run games. In the passing game, his ability to play in coverage is unknown. He certainly has the speed and strength to match up with a TE, but he’s rarely asked to do so. Beasley also tries so hard to rush the passer that he can become ineffective in the run game.

In the season opener against the Georgia Bulldogs, RB Todd Gurley consistently ran right at Beasley. Gurley averaged over 10 yards per carry when running to Beasley’s side of the field. Being able to read the offense will be even more important when he makes the move to OLB.

When watching his tape and evaluating his performance on the field, Beasley is a first-round prospect. His athletic ability should be put on display at the combine, which will elevate his stock even more. With one of the highest ceilings in this draft class, Beasley should be selected within the first 10 picks. I have him rated as the top OLB prospect and No. 7 overall. He’s likely to go through growing pains in his first year or two, but he can develop into an All-Pro given time.

Shawn Spencer is an NFL Draft writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @Spencer_NFL, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.

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