Like I always say, if you can’t get ‘em out of high school then get ‘em out of the portal!

Jeremiah Beasley is a very unique type of transfer, as in a guy who transferred from a school that never even went through fall practices.

Mizzou was a finalist for Beasley’s services last year but lost out to the eventual National Champion Michigan Wolverines in June of 2023. Beasley was an early enrollee in Ann Arbor and arrived on campus in December, but once Jim Harbaugh took the Chargers job on January 23rd, Beasley decided the new staff wasn’t for him and looked elsewhere.

And wouldn’t you know it? That little school in Columbia, MO had stayed in consistent contact with him and was in his ear again the second he was in the transfer portal. Funny how things work out, huh?

 Beasley played running back and linebacker in high school and most of his tape is at running back. He’s a decent running back and has good talent of eluding tacklers, absorbing hit, and being much faster than everybody else but, for now, he’s being brought in as a linebacker so that’s what we’ll focus on.

As a linebacker he shows really good instincts. You can watch his head constantly move as he’s reading the play and (of course) his highlights show a guy who makes the right read, closes at the right time, and eliminates the offensive threat quickly and accurately. In particular, I think there’s four or five highlights of him reading a screen pass and absolutely pile driving the receiver into the backfield.

Other than a good nose for screens, he has a consistent ability to squeeze through blocks when sent on a blitz as well as get good bend when rushing from the outside. There wasn’t a lot of film on his pass defense but he showed a good ability to play his zone and crash down on the ball when the pass was released. At an alleged 6’1” 230 he moves extremely quickly but I would have like to seen a few more shots of him absorbing blocks and making the tackle through contact.

 I’m assuming that the presence of Chuck Hicks, Corey Flagg, and Triston Newson makes playing time for a freshman a small chance, especially with fellow esteemed freshmen linebackers Brian Huff and Nick Rodriguez onboarding at the same time. But the kid has talent and speed, and last year’s linebackers were sent on blitzes a ton (which requires speed). If the speed and disruption he showed in high school translates to college I can see a scenario where he’s used as a situational player, or perhaps the third/fourth guy on the depth chart.

 We love blue chip recruits from outside Mizzou’s natural recruiting footprint and Beasley is another guy who fits that bill. The fact that he’s also another recruit for a position group that needs reinforcements badly is another plus. And it just furthers the importance of the transfer portal – even if you miss out on a guy coming out of high school doesn’t mean you can get him back through the portal. Chalk up another win to Eli Drinkwitz and “Transfer U” Mizzou.