Justin Beaver's workout numbers were nearly as good as, and sometimes better than, Darren McFadden of Arkansas, the No. 4 overall selection and first running back chosen in the National Football League's draft this past weekend. Beaver showed off his speed, agility and strength at the University of Wisconsin's pro day, including 4.45 seconds in the 40-yard dash and 25 repetitions in the bench press (225 pounds).
But one measurable that works against the former UW-Whitewater standout and NCAA Division III Gagliardi Trophy winner is his 5-7, 191-pound frame. The NFL isn't loaded with players that size. But as true football people know, the human heart can't be measured.
So, Beaver gets his chance to prove his worth this weekend as one of the undrafted free agents who'll participate in Green Bay's rookie minicamp. And no one deserves a tryout more than Beaver.
He rambled for 2,455 yards in 2007, breaking his own Division III standard that he set as a sophomore, while leading the Warhawks to the national championship with a 31-21 victory against Mount Union.
Beaver darted through the Raiders for 249 yards on 31 carries, including a 66-yard burst that led to the clinching touchdown in the final two minutes of the Stagg Bowl. The Palmyra-Eagle High School star and UW-W took the spotlight away from two-time defending champion Mount Union, which featured Pierre Garcon, who was drafted with a compensatory pick late in the sixth round by the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.
The results don't lie, and nobody knows that better than Packers general manager Ted Thompson, who was impressed enough to invite Beaver in for a closer look.
Here's hoping the Wisconsin-grown product turns some heads and gets a spot on Green Bay's 80-man off-season roster.
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