Jatashun Beachum
A. Maceo Smith High School (TX)
6’2″ 253 pounds
Athlete
Status: Undecided
Scouts, Inc. Grade: 79
On the Trail
Also Considering: Iowa State, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, Arizona, Baylor, Florida State, Wake Forest, UTEP, Tulsa
Scouts, Inc. Evaluation
It’s rare to find a prospect with the ability to get recruited at running back or defensive tackle, but Beachum is not your normal high school athlete. He is a 265-pound quarterback with a strong arm and deceptively good feet. In all actuality, this impressive athlete could get recruited at a number of different positions with his good blend of size, speed, lateral agility and comfort level around the football. Has good height and well-layered bulk. Far from a chiseled frame but carries his weight very well and its thickly proportioned. As a potential running back or fullback, he projects to be a north-south load with deceptive in-line shiftiness. He would obviously need more of a run oriented offense to be productive carrying the rock and showcase his good downhill burst and in-line power. What surprises you his is natural feel for the position when picking and darting through the line. Displays good feet, body control and vision finding and hitting the cutback crease. While not real elusive, he is fluid for his size and can make the first defender miss through the hole. If he’s employed in the backfield his production will stem off one-cut-go downhill runs utilizing his power as a runner. Very difficult to tackle low with his wide hip base and lower-body. Consistently bounces off lower-body shots with his thick thighs and is very difficult to tackle high with his massive frame and strong stiff-arm. He is not going to separate from many defensive backs at the next level but will make them think twice about coming up to hit him. Drags smaller defenders who try and wrap him up high and finishes runs with good effort. Does need to take advantage of his size a bit more at times and run behind his pads with better body-tilt. Gears down at times when cutting laterally, particularly in the second level, and we would like to see him retain his speed and power by continuing north-south with fewer wasted lateral cuts. Lacks great top-end speed but we like his potential to wear down a defense with his power and ability to avoid clean shots with his good feet. Should be a durable, high carry guy. If he struggles with the transition to offense, his combination of size, quickness and power as a penetrating defensive tackle or end are promising. He can run, is athletic and has the physical tools needed to be very disruptive playing flat down the line of scrimmage if he can learn the technique and fundamentals of defensive line play. Overall, there is always a bit of risk when projecting a prospect at a position he’s never played fulltime but we feel Beachum’s athleticism is too uncommon not to be highly coveted on the recruiting trail.
