Last Sunday, Florida quarterback Tyler Beasley in the 2021 class picked up an offer from Tennessee. The Vols gave Beasley his first FBS offer in his recruitment, and he spoke with me about that offer and his overall recruitment.
Tennessee quarterbacks coach Chris Weinke will be the Vols’ main recruiter for Beasley, and the Sarasota, Florida native will stay on the Vols’ radar as the summer progresses and he enters his senior year.
“Coach Weinke contacted me and stated that Tennessee liked what they saw and that they would like to offer me a scholarship,” Beasley said. “He said that they are really looking forward to watching my growth over the next sixth months.”
Right now, Tennessee is Beasley’s only offer, but he and his head coach at Out-of-Door Academy have heard from several other schools.
“Tennessee has been in contact with my coach and me for about a month,” Beasley stated. “My coach has also been in contact with FAU, Ole Miss, and New Hampshire.”
The 6-foot-2, 185-pound dual-threat quarterback has only recently started to see his recruitment pick up. After throwing for 1,234 yards and 12 touchdowns and running for 517 yards and eight scores as a junior and playing on some seven-on-seven teams before the coronavirus shut things down in the sports world, Beasley started to get more attention.
Beasley isn’t ranked as of yet, but that’s never been a problem for Tennessee. UT’s coaches rarely let ratings dictate what they do on the recruiting trail. But has the lack of attention given Beasley a chip on his shoulder?
“I play at at a small school, so that could have played a part,” Beasley said about his low-profile recruitment so far. “I wouldn’t say that I have a chip on my shoulder. I would say that I’m just trying to prove myself. I love the game, and I know I can play at the highest level. I work hard daily to prove that.”
Before the COVID-19 outbreak temporarily shut down recruiting visits, Beasley was planning on seeing UT’s campus during spring practices. He likes Tennessee’s coaching staff and what they offer, and as soon as he’s allowed to take visits again, the Vols will be seeing him on their campus.
“I know that the University of Tennessee is a well-respected public university that has a wide range of undergraduate program offerings,” Beasley said. “The Vols’ football program has an experienced and great coaching staff. They have coaches that have coached and been successful at every level.
“I was supposed to visit Tennessee after a 7v7 tournament, but due to coronavirus, the tournament was canceled. Once the virus has been controlled and restrictions have been released, I plan on visiting Tennessee’s campus as soon as possible.”
Heading into his senior year, Beasley is looking to do things that Out-of-Door Academy has never done. He knows his teammates believe in him and his ability to lead them to a championship, and he’s looking forward to that challenge.
“My biggest strength is my leadership and/or strong work ethic. I want to be known as the hardest worker on the team,” Beasley stated. “I always want my teammates to feel that we have a chance to win in every game because they trust and believe in me. They know that I will work my hardest in order to give our team a chance to do something that has never been accomplished at our school.
“I will do my part so that our team can make history by winning a state championship this upcoming season.”
