By BJ Bennett
SouthernPigskin.com

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Few defensive players are deserving of a distinction normally reserved for skill position talent. Beasley certainly is.

Gone are quarterback Tajh Boyd, running back Roderick McDowell and receiver Sammy Watkins, but any list of college football’s top playmakers still must include Clemson. Back is senior end Vic Beasley, a 6’2”, 235 pound athlete-off-the-edge who compiled 13 sacks and 23.5 tackles for loss a year ago. Few defensive players are deserving of a distinction normally reserved for skill position talent. Beasley, as quick off the ball as any in the game, certainly is.

The numbers speak for themselves as no player in college football is more accomplished at getting after the quarterback. As impressive as those totals are, Beasley’s true value goes beyond their measure.

“Everybody sees the stats and rushing the passer, but what Vic is not getting enough credit for is what he’s doing for us in the run game,” Tiger head coach Dabo Swinney explained last season. “He’s sticking his nose in there, he’s spoiling runs, he’s doing a very good job, and he may make some plays that other guys can’t make because he can run things down from behind.”

Beasley’s influence has had a dramatic ripple effect. Since emerging as a rotation regular, Clemson’s scoring defense numbers have improved from 29.3 points per game in 2011 to 24.8 in 2012 and 22.2 in 2013, the latter two tallies both good for third in the ACC. With Beasley leading the way, the team sack count has mirrored that improvement. The Tigers also led the nation in tackles for loss last year with a staggering 123 stops behind the line of scrimmage.

Relentless in pursuit, Beasley is the tone-setting catalyst for the aggressive style implemented by coordinator Brent Venables. More than that, he is the new face of what appears to be a team power shift, a likely Tiger transformation. While Clemson’s offense should be formidable, the expectation is that the Tigers will boast one of the top defenses in all of college football. Beasley is a big reason why.

Fresh off four tackles for loss and a sack in Clemson’s Orange Bowl triumph over Ohio State and across-the-board All-American honors, Beasley is poised for a banner senior season. He has to be considered one of the very few favorites for the Bednarik, Hendricks and Lombardi Awards and, at least in the running, for the Heisman Trophy.

A number of big-time offensive stars are gone from Clemson’s Orange Bowl team from a year ago. The big-play, however, is back in full force.