Clemson held its pro day on Thursday and flocks turned out to take a look at their crop of draft eligible players, with pass rusher Vic Beasley on the top of many wish lists.
Beasley turned in a strong combine performance to build on an outstanding collegiate career and is expected to go high in the first round of the draft on April 30. The Falcons have the eighth pick and Beasley, who grew up about 60 miles outside Atlanta, said on Thursday that it would be “a dream come true” to play for the team he grew up rooting for as a kid. The hometown ties are only part of the allure, however.
Beasley said he was impressed by his meeting with Falcons coach Dan Quinn at the combine and by the defense that Quinn put together in Seattle. He also said that Quinn told him he could be a good fit in that scheme.
“He just said that he had guys like Bruce Irvin and other similar guys to me that could play that Leo position,” Beasley said, via ESPN.com. “That’s kind of where we connected right there. I fit the Leo position because a guy like Bruce Irvin, we’re similar body types. And we have similar games. We’re both great edge-rushers.”
There are several other good pass rushing prospects in the draft and, as always, plenty of teams looking for pass rushing help, so there’s more than a possibility that the Falcons could look elsewhere or that Beasley could fail to make it to the eighth pick. If the stars align, though, it looks like there’s a real chance that Beasley could make a happy homecoming.