2022 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Drew Beesley, DE/OLB, Michigan State University

• Name: Drew Beesley
• Position: DE/OLB
• College: Michigan State University
• Height: 6’2
• Weight: 251
• Twitter: @drew_beesley85
• Instagram: @drew_beesley85

What makes you a top prospect at your position in the 2022 NFL Draft? 

• I feel I’ve become a master of the mental. Being able to think quickly and be in the right place at the right time to make plays is something I am able to do effectively. I feel that I am a player that is reliable to the team.

At what age were you first interested in the sport of football?

• I first became interested in football when I was 8 years old. I wanted to put the pads on early but 2nd and 3rd graders were only allowed to play flag.

What is one thing that NFL teams should know about you?

• I’ve overcome a lot of adversity throughout my career. People thought I was too small to play in the Big Ten, I was never going to play when I walked-on at Michigan State and that I was not going to come back from my most recent injury back in October of 2021 and I overcame it all. I feel like I have become more comfortable in the face of adversity.

If you could donate to one cause in the world, what would it be? 

• There are many causes that I would donate to but my family and I have been supporters of Red Cross. 

What is the best advice you have ever received? 

• Best advice I have ever received was from my grandfather and he told me that you will not get anything you want in life without hard work. 

Who was your childhood hero? 

• My childhood heroes are both my grandfather and my dad. Both my grandfather and my dad taught me the concept of working hard to get what you want and my dad introduced me and helped me fall in love with football when I was a young boy. 

Who is the most underrated teammate in your locker room at your school? 

• One of my most underrated teammates while playing at Michigan State was Kenny Willekes. He was a walk-on just like me and he worked hard and proved to everyone that he should be on the field. He went from walk-on to an All-American and in my opinion he should have been drafted in the first round of the NFL draft but was drafted by the Vikings in the 7th round. He taught me to embrace that chip on my shoulder every single day. 

What is your biggest pet peeve? 

• I think my biggest pet peeve would have to be people who drive 10 miles per hour under the speed limit. Another pet peeve of mine would have to be hypocrites. People will express how great they are and how great they want to be but they do not put in the work to be great. 

Overcoming adversity is what defines character, what was the hardest moment
in your life to overcome? 

• I think the hardest moment of adversity I have faced was choosing to go to Michigan State as a walk-on, whenever everyone else thought I should take a scholarship to a lower level school. The doubters thought I would not have a chance to play at the Big 10 level. The toughest part of the moment was the decision and dealing with the uncertainty that came along with that decision. I believed in myself to make it happen and that is exactly what I did. Another tough moment I had to overcome was when I got injured this past season. It was a pretty serious injury and it kept me sitting during some important games of my career but I was able to return in four weeks and beat our rivals down the road. 

Tell me something about your school and why it is so special to you?

• Another reason why I chose to go to Michigan State is because the school itself has a great variety of good majors to choose from. A lot of the schools that offered me scholarships had a certain specialty and at the time, I did not know what major I wanted to pursue. Another great thing about Michigan State is because I always ran into someone I knew whether it was from elementary school, middle school or high school. It is also a great place to create lifelong friendships. 

What is your favorite snack food? 

• My favorite snack would have to be chocolate chip cliff bars.

What is the best part of football? 

• The best part of football is that it is the ultimate team sport and it is one of the most physical sports. That thrill that the game brings me, both playing and watching, is like no other feeling.

If you could sell yourself in one sentence what would you say? 

• I am a guy that is reliable, coachable, and am able to overcome all types of adversity. 

If you could compare your play to one player in the NFL who would it be? 

• I like to compare myself to Shaq Barrett. He is a guy that was overlooked, undersized and was an undrafted free agent but he made a name for himself in the league and became one of the best pass rushers in the NFL. 

If you could have dinner with three people dead or alive, who would it be
and why? 

1. Aaron Donald – I would love to talk football with him and ask for any advice.
2. Dwayne Johnson – He is one of my favorite actors and the motivation he gives is something I really enjoy.
3. Tom Brady – I have always been a big fan of the goat and the fact that he is still playing is super cool to me.