Vic Beasley is probably the prospect most scouts showed up to see at Clemson's pro day. The promising edge-rusher was a limited participant after an outstanding effort at the NFL Scouting Combine, however, which left the door open for other players to steal the spotlight.
Beasley was a top performer in all six athletic drills he attempted at the combine, according to the event's official site. That means he finished in the top five among linebackers in each test. The highlight being a time of 4.53 seconds in the 40-yard dash.
Todd Summers of WSPA passed along a picture of the defender going through warm-ups but noted he wouldn't take part in the 40 this time around:
After his combine showing, Beasley told Reid Ferrin of the Atlanta Falcons'—one of the teams in the market for an edge-rusher—official site who he models his game after.
"A lot of teams saw me with my hand in the ground, comparing me to guys like (Miami Dolphins DE) Cameron Wake, but I like to compare myself to (Denver Broncos LB) Von Miller," Beasley said. "He's able to drop in coverage, and we have the same body size, so I try to compare myself after him."
With the main attraction sitting out the 40, defensive tackle Grady Jarrett was the most highly touted prospect taking part. He could come off the board around the third round, as rated by CBS Sports. Clemson Football showcased his initial burst:
David Hood of TigerNet noted the result was a tick over five seconds:
The star of the 40 was unheralded defensive back Martin Jenkins. TigerNet noted his two blistering times in the dash:
As expected, the pro day was well attended given the star power of Beasley and some of the intriguing prospects that may be available on day two or three.
Clemson offensive coach Jeff Scott passed along word on some of the big-name head coaches in attendance for the workout:
Sefton Ipock of the Independent Mail provided a shot of Bill Belichick, who appeared to bring his trademark hoodie just in case a game broke out:
Around the same time, Clemson Football noted Beasley was watching his teammates run while talking with longtime NFL linebacker Joey Porter:
The program also provided some action shots from the broad jump and vertical testing:
Jarrett had a solid showing in the bench press, as pointed out by Orange and White:
Alas, he was outdone by fellow defensive lineman Josh Watson, as TigerNet exclaimed:
That total would have been enough to tie for the top effort at the combine, which was posted by Miami offensive lineman Ereck Flowers.
TigerNet passed along word of a conversation between Beasley and a scout for the Tennessee Titans, the owners of the second overall pick:
Then Beasley finally took to the field for positional drills. The program showed him in action with a lot of people looking on:
Aaron Cheslock of Fox Carolina liked what he witnessed:
Ipock showcased the coveted prospect showing his burst off the edge:
Brad Senkiw of the Independent Mail was impressed with Jarrett's movement for a defensive tackle:
Ultimately, Beasley took the safe route by limiting his work to positional drills. He showcased his athleticism at the combine and there was no reason to risk those numbers by running, jumping and lifting again. He's got a good chance to crack the top 10.
Among the other players, Jarrett didn't dominate but probably did enough to solidify himself as a mid-round selection. Watson and Jenkins lead the group who will probably get another look from talent evaluators after their standout efforts during the drills.
An all-around good day for the Clemson prospects.
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