Featured Falcon Friday: Defensive End Vic Beasley

On the heels of another multi-sack game, Blogging Dirty takes a look at what has sparked the breakout campaign of sack artist Vic Beasley in this week’s Featured Falcon Friday.

One of the few bright spots in the Falcons heartbreaking loss to the Chargers last Sunday was the continued progression of pass rusher Vic Beasley. Beasley notched two more sacks in the game, taking his total to 6.5 on the season, good for fourth in the NFL. Through seven games, Vic has surpassed his statistical output in every major category from a year ago, save for tackles.

In addition, his three forced fumbles rank second in the league and first in the conference. Vic Beasley has proven through the first half of the season to be one of the most effective pass rushers in football. So why did it take the 2015 8th overall pick this long to finally break out?

Well, for one, pass rushers typically take a while to develop. Of the pass rushers selected in the first round over the past 10 drafts, only Von Miller ’11, Clay Matthews ’09, Brian Orakpo ’09, and Kamerion Wimbley ’06 posted double digit sacks in their rookie campaign.

That means high profile names such as J.J. Watt, Justin Houston, Jason Pierre-Paul, and Mario Williams each recorded fewer than 10 sacks in their inaugural season. In fact, none of them registered more than 5.5, which puts Beasley’s 4.5 last year on par with their progression.

Vic has validated that notion in his sophomore season as he is on pace to finish with 14.5 sacks. If that holds true, Beasley would join the four aforementioned superstars in reaching double digit sacks in year two. He would also possess the second most prolific pass rushing season in Falcons history, trailing only John Abraham’s 16.5-sack 2008 season.

Not only has Vic had to deal with learning to play the professional game, he is still very much learning to play the position of edge rusher in general.

In high school, Vic Beasley started as a defensive back and wide receiver his freshman year, then bounced to safety and running back the next. It wasn’t until his junior year that Beasley finally settled on running back and linebacker. Or so he thought.

He would go on to Clemson University as an “athlete,” where the coaching staff tabbed him as a tight end to begin his Tiger career. That experiment, however, didn’t last long and Beasley reverted back to linebacker.

But even the linebacker position proved to be a challenge at the college level as Vic slid down the depth chart. Beasley began to question whether Clemson was the right fit for him.

He then received an offer that would change his life forever.

Clemson’s defensive line coach Marion Hobby saw promise in Vic as a pass rusher and asked him to give it a shot. If he didn’t like it, the coaching staff promised Beasley would get to play his intended position—running back—his final two years.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

Vic Beasley finished his Clemson career as the school’s all time leader in sacks with 30. But all too often, Vic relied on his superior athleticism to win in college.

To be an effective pass rusher in the NFL, a player must learn to set up their opponent by planning out their rush. That becomes all the more difficult when you’re working with one healthy arm, which Vic was dealing with most of last year.

Now finally healthy, the second year player has begun to learn the art of the pass rush. A prime example of this came in Beasley’s most recent game.

In his first take-down of Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers, Vic incorporated a juke move to slow the right tackle just enough to blow by for the strip sack.

After feeding right tackle Joe Barksdale a healthy dose of his speed rush, Beasley faked a hard rush outside on this fourth quarter snap and finished off the quarterback with the Tackle-End stunt.

Throw in a Dwight Freeney-esque spin down the road and Vic Beasley will have a quartet of moves at his disposal, given his already devastating speed rush.

The final catalyst for Vic’s success this year has been a clearer focus on football. Such was not the case in Beasley’s rookie season. At the forefront of his life was the well being of his father, Vic Beasley Sr.

The elder Beasley had struggled with an alcohol addiction ever since he lost his own father, mother, and sister. By 2015, his liver could not take the abuse any longer.

“That was probably one of the breaking points in my life,” Beasley says. “Just knowing at practice that I’d have to go to the hospital to see my dad. Things like that run through your mind at practice. I’m like, ‘Man, I wonder how my dad’s doing.’ I’m in a three-point stance thinking about my dad. It’s just a tough time.”

“That was probably one of the breaking points in my life,” Beasley says. “Just knowing at practice that I’d have to go to the hospital to see my dad. Things like that run through your mind at practice. I’m like, ‘Man, I wonder how my dad’s doing.’ I’m in a three-point stance thinking about my dad. It’s just a tough time.”

Beasley Sr. has been gone over a half a year now, but that doesn’t make it any easier for his son. However, you can tell in his play that Beasley Jr. is playing more relaxed, as if the worst is behind him.

Because the worst is behind him.

Beasley has adapted to life as a professional football player. He has undergone seven position changes throughout his career and came out more versatile because of it. He has overcome a nagging shoulder injury. And he has endured the worst loss of them all – his father – yet stands stronger than ever.

If Vic Beasley can withstand all of that, there’s no telling what his ceiling may be. With a renewed focus on football, a clean bill of health, and more experience at the position, Beasley will stake his claim as one of the elite pass rushers in the NFL.

Be sure to vote on Blogging Dirty’s Twitter account (@BloggingDirty) next week to decide who you would like to see be the next #FeaturedFalconFriday.