Clemson defensive end Vic Beasley has decided to remain in school for his senior season, he announced Wednesday night.
Beasley (6-foot-2, 235 pounds) led the ACC and was tied for third nationally with 13 sacks, giving him 21 for his career. He also had 23 tackles for loss this season, raising his career total to 31.
He received a second-round grade from the NFL Draft Advisory Board, but some analysts felt his pass-rush skills gave him a chance to sneak into the first round.
Beasley is seven sacks away from the school record of 28, held by Michael Dean Perry and Gaines Adams.
Beasley is quick off the ball -- he was clocked at 4.47 seconds in the 40-yard dash in high school as a 215-pounder -- but he also has a nice spin move and a surprisingly effective bull rush. He also is adept at using his hands to keep opposing offensive linemen off his body. That's important, because when opposing linemen lock onto Beasley, he has trouble getting away. Presumably, one more season will help him become more physical and also continue to learn the nuances of the position. That, in turn, could mean he would be a first-round pick in the 2015 draft.
Beasley played running back, wide receiver, safety and linebacker in high school in Adairsville, Ga., about an hour northwest of Atlanta. Despite his athleticism -- he also had a vertical jump of 39 inches -- he was barely a top-500 prospect nationally because he didn't seem to have a set position. After he signed with Clemson, it was expected he would play tight end or H-back in college.
Beasley redshirted as a true freshman in 2010, barely played as a defensive end in 2011 (16 snaps in nine games), then served as a pass-rush specialist in 2012 before becoming an every-down end this season.
Clemson had three juniors declare for the draft: wide receivers Sammy Watkins and Martavis Bryant and cornerback Bashaud Breeland.
Mike Huguenin can be reached at mike.huguenin@nfl.com. You also can follow him on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.
