Cornell Beachem Jr. Scouting Report and NFL Draft Profile

 

2023 NFL Draft Measurables

Cornell Beachem Jr. 40-Yard Dash Time – 4.46

5’8″ / 195 lbs.

 

Cornell Beachem Jr. Draft Profile

Cornell Beachem Jr. is an outstanding running back for Mount St. Joseph University in Cincinnati, OH. Beachem is a local product of Winton Woods High School in Cincinnati, OH. While at Winton Woods, he competed in football, wrestling, and lacrosse. After having a tremendous high school career in all three sports, he took his talent to Notre Dame College. Here he would solely focus on wrestling and leave his football career behind. After spending one year at Notre Dame College, he transferred to Mount St. Joseph to compete in wrestling and football. In his 2019-2020 season, he played 10 games and rushed for 648 yards and 7 touchdowns he also had 803 receiving yards and 10 receiving touchdowns. On special teams, he racked up 250 return yards and 1 touchdown. When you add all this up, Beachem Jr. combined for 1,701 yards and 18 touchdowns. Although this was solid, Beachem was far from reaching his potential.

This year has been Beachem’s best year of his college career. Earlier this year, Beachem went undefeated in wrestling and punched his ticket to the Division III National Championship. Upon arriving in Cedar Rapids, IA, Beachem would continue his undefeated streak and make it to the championship match for the 174 lbs. weight class. In this match, he would defeat his opponent and be crowned a Division III National Champion.

After having an incredible career as a wrestler, Beachem decided to set his eyes on making it to the NFL. Cornell Beachem Jr. helped lead the Mount St. Joseph Lions to a 10-1 season with their only loss being in the playoffs. This season, he racked up 1,236 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns. He also had 37 receptions for 498 yards and 4 touchdowns. On special teams, he had 483 kick return yards and 184 punt return yards, and 1 touchdown. When you combine all of the numbers together, you get 2,401 all-purpose yards which puts him at number one in the nation.

 

Strengths

 

Athleticism

Cornell Beachem Jr. is one of the best athletes that I have seen compete at the Division III level. When he gets the ball in his hand, it is very difficult to bring him down. He has tremendous balance after contact due to his low center of gravity and strong lower body. His downhill speed is also something that is hard to overlook because he has great foot speed and acceleration. This allows him to explode down the field when he finds a hole in the defense. But, in order to find a hole in the defense, you need to be patient. That is exactly what Beachem Jr. is. He is solid at letting the line develop their blocks. Once he finds a gap and he gets going, he is very hard to catch.

He is also a very slippery back to bring down in the open field. This is due to his low center of gravity and ability to sink his hips and explode off his outside foot. His athleticism in the passing game is also just as impressive. Beachem’s elusiveness allows him to quickly make breaks in his route, which allows him to get open. When the ball is thrown his way, he has strong hands and solid body control. His body control allows him to adjust to throws that are outside of his frame and still make a play.

 

Work Ethic

I have been fortunate enough to see Beachem Jr.’s work ethic in person. Whether it is inside the classroom, on the mat or on the field, Beachem Jr. always gives 110%. This is primarily why he will make it at the next level because he will not give up until he does. Finally, when a team does give him a chance, I can ensure you that he will not get complacent. He will work as hard as he can to improve his game every day until he has achieved his goals. If you don’t believe me, I don’t believe there are many people who can do what he has done. As I mentioned earlier, in 2022 alone, he is an NCAA Wrestling National Champion and a top DIII running back.

 

Versatility

Beachem Jr. is a very versatile back and will likely fit whatever scheme you put him in. When lined up in the backfield, he is effective on inside zone runs and power runs. In passing schemes, he is an effective route runner to the inside and outside. This allows the offense to spread apart and make bigger holes in the defense. If the quarterback cannot find any other options, Beachem acts as a perfect safety valve.

 

Power

As I mentioned earlier, Beachem is a very elusive back due to his ability to sink his hips and change direction. However, he is not afraid to drop his shoulder and run over defenders. He runs with lots of speed and aggression that allows him to power through tackles and maintain his balance. I can point out countless plays where it has taken three or more defenders to bring down Beachem. Not only is he powerful with pads on, but he is also very powerful in the weight room. When looking at his Hudl page, I found that he can deadlift 405 lbs., squat 485 lbs., and bench 325 lbs.

 

Weaknesses

 

Pass Blocking

Although Beachem Jr. has proven he is a top player at the Division III level, he has some improvements to make. The biggest improvement needed is his pass blocking. Beachem has the strength and the stature to block defenders, but his technique is a little sloppy. When blocking defenders, he sometimes just plants his feet and puts his hands up to slow them down. If Beachem can improve on his technique and work on driving them back, this will no longer be a weakness.

 

Route Running

I did mention earlier that Beachem Jr. is a solid route runner. But there are some improvements to make before getting to the NFL. In the slot, he struggles against defensive backs who jam him at the line of scrimmage. If he can be the first one to engage in contact, he will have the upper hand off the snap. He also needs to improve on tightening the angle of his route when he makes a break in his route. Overall, he just needs to slightly improve upon his physicality during routes and his footwork when making breaks.

 

Cornell Beachem Jr. Draft Stock

Although Beachem is a tremendous talent and deserves more recognition than he is getting, he will go undrafted. But Beachem will likely sign with a team as a UDFA and work towards seeing the field in the preseason. If he does not make the 53-man roster his rookie season, I will guarantee he will work nonstop until he is on one.

 

Final Thoughts on Cornell Beachem Jr. Scouting Report

Overall, Cornell Beachem Jr. is a freakish athlete who will eventually end up in the NFL at some point in his career. He has amazing athleticism that can compete with loads of Division I players. His work ethic is something that is rare to see these days because he will not let anything stop him. In conclusion, if anyone who has connections to an NFL scout is reading this, give Beachem a chance. I can personally guarantee that you will not regret that decision.

 

Player Comparison

His play style reminds me a lot of Tarik Cohen. He also shows me glimpses of Kyren Williams.

 

Cornell Beachem Jr. Scouting Report Analyst – Matthew Lewis