Jon Beason
Encyclopedia
Jonathan Beason is an American football
linebacker
for the Carolina Panthers
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers
25th overall in the 2007 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at the University of Miami
.
, strong safety and fullback
. As a senior, Beason rushed for 811 yards and 12 touchdowns at fullback, and made 75 tackles and had five pass interceptions on defense. Beason also ran track and was on the basketball
team.
at the University of Miami
. He began his career at fullback
but shifted to linebacker
as a redshirt freshman. During his career he collected 187 tackles
, 3.5 sacks
, and one interception. He majored in sports administration.
(* represents 2007 NFL Combine
)
by the Carolina Panthers
. Beason had a great rookie season, finishing second behind Patrick Willis
in tackles for a rookie with 140. He finished second in the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year voting behind Willis, receiving two votes.
and was an AP
All-Pro
selection after recording 138 tackles and three interceptions.
, and also received a spot in the Pro Bowl when Patrick Willis backed out due to injury.
list, Beason volunteered to move to the outside linebacker position while Davis recovered. However, Davis was not taken off the list by the Panthers, and Beason had to assume the role further until Dan Connor
, who had taken over the inside linebacker position, had a season-ending injury, thus moving Beason back inside.
Due to him switching positions, he finished the season with the worst statistical performance of his career, recording only 121 tackles (9 less than fellow Panther James Anderson and the first time in his career he did not place first in team tackles). However, Beason was rewarded for his temporary switch to the position, and was designated a Pro Bowl alternate at the outside linebacker position, and later was awarded a spot when Lance Briggs
backed out due to an injury.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
for the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
25th overall in the 2007 NFL Draft
2007 NFL Draft
The 2007 National Football League Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 28 and April 29, 2007. The draft was televised for the 28th consecutive year on ESPN and ESPN2. The NFL Network also broadcast coverage of the event, its second year doing so...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the University of Miami
Miami Hurricanes football
The Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships...
.
Early years
Beason attended Chaminade Madonna College Preparatory School from 1999-2003. He played multiple positions including linebackerLinebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
, strong safety and fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
. As a senior, Beason rushed for 811 yards and 12 touchdowns at fullback, and made 75 tackles and had five pass interceptions on defense. Beason also ran track and was on the basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team.
College career
Beason played his college footballCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
. He began his career at fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
but shifted to linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
as a redshirt freshman. During his career he collected 187 tackles
Tackle (football move)
Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend....
, 3.5 sacks
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
, and one interception. He majored in sports administration.
7th Floor Crew
Beason was one of the players in the recording of the song "7th Floor Crew", a lewd rap song about sexual activities on the seventh floor of Mahoney Hall. He went as "Big Beast"2007 NFL Draft
| Pre-draft measurements* | ||||||
| Ht | Wt | 40-yard dash | 20-yard dash | 10-yard dash | Broad | BP Bench press The bench press is an exercise of the upper body. For bodybuilding purposes, it is used to stimulate the pectorals, deltoids, and triceps. While on his or her back, the person performing the bench press lowers a weight to the level of the chest, then pushes it back up until the arm is straight... |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6-0 * | 237 lb * | 4.72 * | 2.74 * | 1.60 * | 9′03″ * | 19 * |
NFL Combine
The National Invitational Camp or NFL Scouting Combine, as it is more widely known, is a week-long showcase, occurring every February in Indianapolis, Indiana's Lucas Oil Stadium , where college football players perform physical and mental tests in front of National Football League coaches, general...
)
2007 NFL Season
Beason was drafted 25th overall in the 2007 NFL Draft2007 NFL Draft
The 2007 National Football League Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 28 and April 29, 2007. The draft was televised for the 28th consecutive year on ESPN and ESPN2. The NFL Network also broadcast coverage of the event, its second year doing so...
by the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
. Beason had a great rookie season, finishing second behind Patrick Willis
Patrick Willis
Patrick L. Willis is an American football player who plays inside linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He was selected by the San Francisco 49ers 11th overall in the 2007 NFL Draft...
in tackles for a rookie with 140. He finished second in the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year voting behind Willis, receiving two votes.
2008 NFL Season
During Beason's second year he was selected to his first Pro BowlPro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
and was an AP
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
All-Pro
All-Pro
All-Pro is a term mostly used in the NFL for the best players of each position during that season. It began as polls of sportswriters in the early 1920s...
selection after recording 138 tackles and three interceptions.
2009 NFL Season
Beason's third year was another good year, as he recorded three sacks, three interceptions, a forced fumble, and 141 tackles, including 111 solo tackles. As a result, Beason was a second team pick on the 2009 All-Pro Team2009 All-Pro Team
The 2009 All-Pro Team consists of National Football League players named to the Associated Press , Pro Football Writers Association , and Sporting News All-Pro teams in the 2009 NFL season. The Associated Press and Sporting News named first and second-team selections. The AP team was selected by...
, and also received a spot in the Pro Bowl when Patrick Willis backed out due to injury.
2010 NFL Season
Due to an injury to outside linebacker Thomas Davis, who was placed on the Physically Unable to PerformPhysically Unable to Perform
Players can be labeled Physically Unable to Perform in the National Football League if they suffer from football-related injuries during the preseason...
list, Beason volunteered to move to the outside linebacker position while Davis recovered. However, Davis was not taken off the list by the Panthers, and Beason had to assume the role further until Dan Connor
Dan Connor (American football)
Daniel Murphy Connor is an American football linebacker for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Panthers in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Penn State....
, who had taken over the inside linebacker position, had a season-ending injury, thus moving Beason back inside.
Due to him switching positions, he finished the season with the worst statistical performance of his career, recording only 121 tackles (9 less than fellow Panther James Anderson and the first time in his career he did not place first in team tackles). However, Beason was rewarded for his temporary switch to the position, and was designated a Pro Bowl alternate at the outside linebacker position, and later was awarded a spot when Lance Briggs
Lance Briggs
Lance Marell Briggs is an American football linebacker for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Bears in the third round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at Arizona.-Early years:A Sacramento native, Briggs attended Elk Grove High...
backed out due to an injury.