Vic Beasley NFL Draft 2015: Scouting Report, Grade for Falcons' 1st-Round Pick

STRENGTHS

Vic Beasley has been productive and consistent as a star defender for the Clemson Tigers. He brings exceptional speed (4.53 40-yard dash) and a hulked-up physique to the table after gaining 13 pounds in pre-combine training. Beasley is one of the smarter edge-rushers in the class, showing the ability to use his hands, head, feet, hips and shoulders to get past blockers. His dominant move is a pure speed rush, though, and he has the hips to turn the corner and keep his rush tight. He'll use his length well to close on the quarterback and flashes good hand use to either grab the quarterback or get a hand in his face if he can't secure the sack. Beasley's size and speed make him a candidate to play standing up in the NFL, something he did often at Clemson.

WEAKNESSES

Beasley weighed just 220 pounds in the spring of 2014 and played at around 233 pounds during his senior season. There are legitimate, existing concerns about his ability to keep on weight and just how well he'll move and hold up at his now heavier 246-pound weight. Most on-film concerns center on his lack of power when engaged by blockers in the pass and run games. He played on a very talented defense and saw a lot of one-on-one blocking that led to big production, so it's fair to ask if he can match that against NFL-level blockers. As it stands now, he'll struggle in the run game until he learns to play with power and hold the edge. He's a non-factor on day one against the run.

2014 STATISTICS

Tackles: 34
Sacks: 12.0
Tackles for Loss: 21.5

PRO PLAYER COMPARISON: Bruce Irvin, Seattle Seahawks

Irvin ended his time at West Virginia as a situational pass-rusher, and that's what Beasley looks like early in his NFL career until he can learn to use his weight and hold up better against the run. But he can make contributions early as a pass-rusher and has the athleticism to become a starter early if he takes to the mental aspect of a move to a stand-up role.

FINAL GRADE: 7.20/9.0 (Pro Bowl Potential)