Nights Before Neyland: Why Kaleb Beasley Continues His Southeast Excellence

2024 four-star corner Kaleb Beasley (Nashville, Tenn.) has been committed to the Tennessee Volunteers for eight months and brings an impressive skillset.

Playing corner in the south is quite a difficult task, especially on the prep circuit. Between top high school wide receivers during the season to a difficult slate of 7-on-7 pass catchers, young defensive backs are getting tested year-round. Those who succeed at a high rate during their youth often opt to remain in the south and play for an SEC squad, which is precisely what Tennessee corner commit Kaleb Beasley has done.

On paper, Beasley is one of the most decorated high school players that Tennessee will sign in this class. He's a three-year varsity starter at Lipscomb Academy, the two-time defending Tennessee state champions that finished 2022 ranked No. 11 in the country. Beasley was a MaxPreps All-American during his junior season, where he logged a staggering nine interceptions, 30 tackles, and six defensive touchdowns. He's a consensus top-150 player in America that was pursued by several programs even after he committed to Tennessee on October 21, 2022.

Though several suitors made a push, including the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Beasley shut down his recruitment after his June official visit. The Vols coaching staff convinced him that he made the right decision in the fall, and Beasley felt comfortable locking in his choice to prepare for his final season at Lipscomb. With him officially a part of the class without wavering in his pledge, we now look at what Tennessee has landed, which is a high-flying outside corner with translatable skills.

As we've mentioned in previous evaluations, Tennessee's defensive schemes aren't too complex, as they are on the field upward of 100 times during some contests. The secondary responsibilities are manageable, and the base concepts revolve around two-deep safety looks with post-snap rotation mixed in. Lipscomb runs a complex high school defensive scheme and has asked Beasley to play man looks, quarters coverages, Cover-3, and Cover-2 flats throughout his entire high school tenure.

2024 CB Kaleb Beasley during his official visit to Tennessee on June 16

He's a savvy football player that understands how and when to get to the spot. Beasley clocked in a 4.50-second forty-yard dash during his sophomore season of high school and looks to be hovering around the mid-4.4s on tape. The physical profile isn't astounding, as he measured last year at 6-0 and 180 pounds with a 5'10" wingspan. Though he doesn't have the length most top-end outside corners possess, Beasley makes up for it with impressive leaping ability. He's a standout basketball player who averaged 19 points per game on the hardwood as a junior. Beasley often high-points the football in traffic, leaping above receivers to haul in a catch with his hands.

Beasley separates himself with his nuanced footwork and technique. He's a ready-made press man corner that is comfortable alone on an island. Beasley packs a good punch in his hands and gets the better of light-chested receivers at the line of scrimmage, forcing them to redirect before the route has begun. When Beasley can't outmuscle his matchup, he chops his feet and maintains the flexibility to turn and move with the target abruptly.

You won't see him make many technical mistakes. Beasley is a student of the game that clearly works on his craft. His backpedal in quarters coverage is really impressive, as he takes long, calculated gather steps to allow him to peek inside at the quarterback's eyes. He also plays the flats very well, flowing with the concept and breaking on the football to jar a pass loose.

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