Can Aaron Beasley Take Another Step?

After a great 2022 season, Tennessee Volunteers inside linebacker Aaron Beasley can elevate his game even more. The defensive leader is primed for a huge year.

The 2022 football season was very kind to Aaron Beasley. He was the leader in total tackles (76) and tackles for losses (13). He was also second on the team in sacks (3), only behind current Los Angeles Ram Byron Young.

He was named to the 2023 All-SEC third team during this preseason, and it's easy to see why from his game. Beasley makes great breaks to opposing offensive players with the football. His speed in the box that makes up the front seven allows him to cover any runs. It also gets him in the backfield quickly enough to sack opposing quarterbacks.

A good look for Beasley came during Tennessee's "season-ending" loss against South Carolina in Columbia. In a game where the Vols' defense gave up 606 total yards of offense, the middle linebacker gave a great performance. In the crushing loss, he had a sack and three tackles for losses, showing how good he can be at getting in opposing backfields. He was a big part last fall, and it helped Tennessee hold opponents to the second-fewest rushing yards allowed per game and the second-fewest rushing yards per attempt. They were second only to the Georgia Bulldogs' elite run defense.

Beasley had a lot of good things to say about the linebacker group as a whole, "I feel like we're very versatile...We [the group] may be a little young, but I feel like we can go out there and play. We are all very smart." Now as a senior, Beasley is the leader of the Tennessee defense and will surely be a tone-setter on that side of the field. His exceptional run-stopping and uncanny lateral speed will be key this upcoming season. Beasley's leadership will be big for the Volunteers this upcoming season. 

Tennessee ILB Aaron Beasley sacking Clemson QB Cade Klubnik during the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, on December 30, 2022. (Photo by Jasen Vinlove of USA Today Sports)

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