Rosewood's Beasley signs with Methodist

By Cam Ellis
Published in Sports on June 2, 2015 1:48 PM

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cellis@newsargus.com

The choice was clear for Garner Beasley.

The senior linebacker from Rosewood was being recruited by several schools throughout North Carolina, but there was only one that he felt was the perfect fit.

And now, he's officially going there.

Beasley recently signed a letter-of-intent to play football at Methodist University. He expects to play middle linebacker for the Monarchs next fall.

"I just think it's a good school to go to," he said. "It's a beautiful campus and there's a lot of one-on-one learning with teachers," said Beasley, who drew attention from Christopher Newport (Va.) University, N.C. Wesleyan and Pembroke.

"It's really the only school that I honestly liked. The football field is nice, everyone on the campus is nice ... and they have an 18-hole golf course."

While the golf course is a nice touch, Beasley -- who just recently played golf for the first time, to mixed success -- will be spending most of his time on the football field.

"It's almost not going to be a game any more, it's going to be more like a business," he said. "It's going to be 24/7. Coaches are going to be on you. There's really not going to be any free time anymore."

While the coaches have told Beasley he'll have a chance to compete for a starting spot, he's not sure where yet. Methodist has both a JV and varsity team, and while it's rare for incoming freshman to play meaningful varsity minutes, Beasley thinks he has a chance to break the mold.

"When (the Methodist coach) came here he said that the linebacker spots are opening up," he said. "And he told me that there is a good possibility that I could be playing next year."

If the Monarchs do decide to give Beasley a shot, they'll be playing a middle linebacker who's not only a team leader on the field, but off it. When asked about his biggest strength as a football player, a question that can often stump high schoolers, Beasley was quick to mention that he believed he was a natural team leader.

His coach, Robert Britt, agreed.

"He can play," he said. "He's a player. You can see that when you watch game film on him, and that's why Methodist wanted him. He was all over the field making tackles. Another thing he did extremely well for us is block out of the backfield."

Beasley's versatility will benefit him on the next level. He could make an immediate impact for Monarch defense that allowed 162 rushing yards and 264 passing yards per game in 2014. The running numbers are particularly ugly for Methodist, something that should bode well for Beasley's chances at starting.

"I'm going to have to work on my speed," he said. " I don't consider myself fast, but I can get there."

Beasley is part of a recent wave of Methodist signings from Wayne County, which has been long overlooked for football talent but is beginning to find the spotlight on the Division II and III levels.

"I think it's great, and I think it says something about our area," Britt said. "When you have six high schools in one county, your talent gets spread out. There's still a lot of talented kids in this area.

"I'm happy for Garner and I'm happy for all the other kids from this area that get to go play at the next level."