He was ranked as a 2nd round pick following his senior seasonโฆ.that was until he participated in the combine. During the combine Beasley racked up numbers that had GMโs salivating at the possibility of him in their defense.
With the 8th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons select Vic Beasley Jr. defensive end Clemson. Coming into the NFL he was regarded as a great pass rusher, but struggled to shed blocks at times in the run game. Some scouts even questioned his aggressiveness, and his desire to be the best. However he was never considered a character concern, which led Atlanta to select him under defensive head coach Dan Quinn who believed he could develop Beasley into a key playmaker on his defense. Originally Beasley was used as a defensive end, but was asked to start right away. He went on to start 16 games as a rookie. He had a mediocre season collecting 26 tackles, 2 for a loss, 4 sacks, 5 qb hits, 1 interception, 3 passes deflected, and 2 forced fumbles.
In year two Dan Quinn and company saw some things that led them to move Beasley to strongside linebacker. During his time with the Seahawks he had used several former defensive ends in this position with success as a stand up pass rusher. In Seattle it was often Cliff Avril another speedy small defensive end playing the โLeoโ position. Now it would be Beasley one of the most explosive athletes ever drafted at defensive end. The Falcons went on to win 11 games in 2016, and make a trip to the Super Bowl, where they would ultimately lose to the Patriots. Beasley had a career season at any level while playing LB a position he knew well from playing it in high school. He started 12 games, playing 16 games he amassed 39 tackles, 11 for a loss, 16 QB hits, 15.5 sacks, 6 forced fumbles, 1 recovery that he returned 21 yards for a td, and 2 passes defended. He was named first team All-Pro, made the Pro-Bowl, and tied for the league lead in forced fumbles.He also was ranked as the 40th best player on the NFL top 100 players voted on by fellow players. It looked as though Beasley had found his footing and was going to begin being a dominant player.
During his third year h
e played in just 14 games starting only 8 due to a hamstring injury that affected his burst off the line. He had 29 tackles, 8 tackles for a loss, 5 sacks, 2 passes defended, and 1 forced fumble. This was a bit of a disappointment, but the Falcons opted to sign him to his 5th year option during the 2018 season.In 2018 he was moved back to defensive end as a designated pass rusher. He followed up that announcement by playing in 16 games and starting 9 games. He had another down year, collecting just 20 tackles, 7 for a loss, 5 sacks, 3 passes defended, 1 fumble recovery he returned for 74 yards. He rebounded in 2019 his last season with the Falcons.
In 2019 He was able to play in 16 games, and start 15 of them. He was able to rack up 42 tackles, 8 for a loss, 8 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 2 passes defended. This was something of a resurgent season for the man who had only flashed at linebacker so far in his NFL career. Playing defensive end, and being able to reach these heights actually helped him earn a free agent contract with the Tennessee Titans in the offseason.
In 2020 he had a very rough year with the Titans. It all started way back in July, when the Titans were forced to move him to the โReserve: Did Not Report Listโ. He didnโt show up to camp until August 7th. Just 4 days later he was placed on the Non Football Injury List. He would just under a month of training camp. He was activated on September 5th. Playing in just 5 games, and starting no games. He was cut after collecting just 3 tackles, and 1 forced fumble, less than 2 months after being activated for the Titans. He landed with the Raiders under Paul Guenther, originally on the practice squad. He would go on to play in just 5 games before being let go by the Raiders as well. He has not signed another contract with the NFL.
Thatโs when in February of 2022 it was announced that Beasleyโs name had been added to the Ottawa Redblacks negotiation list. The veteran NFL player, who was drafted in the first round, appeared in a pro-bowl, a Super Bowl, and named first team all pro at one point could now land in the CFL where he will attempt to revive a career that has gone dormant since the 2020 season. Beasley is the exact type of pass rusher that finds success in the CFL and I for one am excited to see him at this level.
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