What Tennessee football commit Kaleb Beasley and his 6 defensive TDs could mean for Vols secondary

Kaleb Beasley is a two-sport star at Lipscomb Academy with college football on the nearing horizon.
But there is a sport he doesn't talk too much about, but it is something gaining more of his attention.
Golf.
"I play with my boys at Lipscomb," said Beasley, a four-star cornerback and the No. 1 college football recruit in Tennessee for the Class of 2024 according to the 247Sports Composite. "We go for fun."
Beasley, a Tennessee football commit, is still in the beginning stages. He doesn't keep score, he leaves that to those golfing with him - his football teammates. But there are times like any beginning golfer when he gets frustrated.
There have been times when the frustration shows at McCabe Golf Course in Nashville. Like the time he had enough and walked off.
His drive off No. 4 was good as he recalled. But then the next two shots he said went in the woods.
"We were all playing bad that day," said Beasley with a laugh. "So it was, 'OK, we're leaving.'
"Football and basketball, I'm good at. I'm athletic."
Golf though is still a work in progress.
That's OK, though. Football is his college future.
What Kaleb Beasley brings to Tennessee football
Beasley, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound senior, is No. 1 on The Tennessean's Dandy Dozen, a collection of the top college football recruits in the Nashville area as picked by the newspaper for the Class of 2024. Beasley is the No. 15 cornerback in the country according to the 247Sports Composite.
He is the third highest-rated recruit in Tennessee's 2024 recruiting class, ranking behind five-star wide receiver Mike Matthews of Lilburn, Georgia and four-star wide receiver Braylon Staley of Aiken, South Carolina.
Beasley is also one of six Tennessee in-state commits. He is coming off a season where he had 36 tackles with nine interceptions for the Mustangs in leading them to their second straight Division II-AA state championship. He also had six defensive touchdowns, including four interceptions returns and two fumbles returned for TDs.
His role at Lipscomb will grow this year as he will play some offensive packages at wide receiver.
"Has there ever been a defensive player score more defensive touchdowns?" said Austin Price of On3.com. "He's a super intelligent kid. He's always around the ball. He knows where to be and that's why he's always around the ball."
Price said he could fit in anywhere in the Vols' defensive backfield — cornerback, nickel or safety.
"He can play many places in the secondary, but you feel comfortable because he knows how to play," Price said. "He's a high IQ player with a ton of athleticism."
Notre Dame isn't completely out of picture
Beasley picked the Vols despite a heavy recruitment from Notre Dame. The Irish have stayed in contact with Beasley since his commitment.
Beasley has been cordial to the Notre Dame staff, talking to them.
"I definitely am still talking to them and respect them," Beasley said. "You never know what can happen. I'm still staying in touch with them and they are staying in touch with me."
However, right now Tennessee is just the right fit for Beasley.
"Notre Dame and Tennessee for me were the same, but the one part for me where Tennessee stood out was me having a connection with a lot of the players there," he said. "The coaches there are great recruiters. And they are like family.
"And Tennessee, being from here and being a home-state guy was big for me."
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Focused on Lipscomb Academy senior season
While golf can be a distraction, Beasley has geared the offseason toward his final high school football season. He practices five days a week with his teammates. But then trains Saturday and Sunday, his dad Terrio Beasley said.
That's because he's determined to lead the Mustangs this season in Division II-AAA after the school chose to move up in classification. Plus he is focused on being the best player he can be and wants to prove anyone wrong that says there is someone better in the state.
That has also meant an improved schedule, which includes defending DII-AAA state champion Baylor, Brentwood Academy, McCallie and MBA in league play and perennial powerhouse IMG Academy and Alabama's defending Class 6A state champion Saraland in the first two weeks of the season.
"He's always been like that," said Terrio, who is a Franklin graduate and played football at Austin Peay. "Even when he was younger, he'd play up in age groups in sports because he wanted the challenge. He'd always go in thinking no one is better than him.
"If someone says someone is better than him, he's going to be working hard to prove them wrong. He wants to be the best. He says he doesn't follow the news articles, but he does. Anytime he sees where he dropped in a ranking, he goes 100 when it's time to go work out. He feels like he always has something to prove."
Meet the rest of The Tennessean's 2023 Dandy Dozen
NO. 2: Edwin Spillman's incredible journey from Africa to Nashville to Tennessee football commit
NO. 3: Mom's selfless decision to live apart put Ondre Evans on path to LSU football commit at CPA
NO. 4: Why Page's Ronan O'Connell picked Dabo Swinney, Clemson football consistency over Tennessee, Wisconsin
NO. 5: The country music story behind Ole Miss football commit John Wayne Oliver's name and The Duke
NO. 6 CPA's Crews Law and the bond with his brother that will make both UNC football linebackers
NO. 7: The moment Tennessee football commit Jesse Perry's coach knew he was a top recruit
NO. 8: How brother's recruiting advice helped Ensworth's Mason Curtis commit to Michigan football early
NO. 9 Riverdale's Jaylen Thompson plays DB, but his approach to football is all Lamar Jackson
NO. 10 How Brentwood Academy DT Hank Weber's faith led him to Wisconsin football
NO. 11 FRA's Luke Masterson grew up in Carolina blue thanks to sports nut dad. UNC football was easy choice
NO. 12: Vanderbilt football commit Glenn Seabrooks III latest in three-generation college prospects