Busy Beaver gets to work...
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A Railbird Central exclusive interview with Justin Beaver
Former University of Wisconsin-Whitewater running back Justin Beaver has to lay it all on the line for the Green Bay Packers this weekend. He’s got one chance to prove to them he’s worth signing.
He’ll be heading into Green Bay tomorrow to practice with the team on a tryout basis during their rookie orientation camp.
It’s a good thing he’s not nervous. He probably doesn’t have time to be nervous anyway. Between Thursday until Sunday he’ll be busy with three practice periods, a couple of weightlifting sessions, meetings and dinners.
And he expects to find out if the Packers will offer him a contract by Monday at the latest.
“I’m not nervous at all yet,” said Beaver. “I’m definitely used to these situations being put in a spot where you have one chance, and it can either make or break you. I’m not too nervous. I’m just going to go out there and do what I do, and I’m just hoping it will be enough for them. And if not, I know I gave it everything I’ve got.”
Beaver will have at least a fighting chance to make the team. He might come from a small school, but he made the most of nearly every opportunity he’s been given.
He led the Warhawks to three Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl appearances during his collegiate career including winning it all in 2007 for a Division III national championship. His performance also helped him win the Gagliardi Trophy in 2007 as the Division III national MVP.
In addition, he made the most of his pro day workout in Madison when scouts finally started to take notice and thought that Beaver might actually have a chance to make it in the NFL.
Out of literally hundreds of prospects that took place in pro day workouts nationwide, Beaver’s short shuttle time of 3.96 seconds ranked third in the entire country according to NFL Draft Scout. In addition, his three cone drill time of 6.72 seconds ranks 14th in the country and would have ranked second out of all the running backs who were invited to the NFL Combine.
The challenge to him, though, will be to prove that he’s not just a workout warrior.
“I think the NFL puts a lot of time into those drills,” said Beaver, “and they put a lot of money into that kind of stuff, and there’s a reason for that. I think that just shows how hard you work out and how good of a football player you are – your lateral speed, your straight ahead speed, and all those things that those drills prove.
“I’m just going to have to show on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday what type of football player I am and that I’m not just a workout fiend.”
There will most definitely be a learning curve while getting a grasp on a new offense, but there’s one thing that’s going to work in his favor. Beaver comes from a zone blocking system at Whitewater.
“There will be a different terminology and some different things,” said Beaver, “but just watching them, there’s a lot of the blocking schemes that are the same. A lot of the same concepts that we used at Whitewater in our zone offense, they use as well. I think that’s one thing that I’ll pick up on very quickly and that can help me in the next few days.”
Maybe even more important to Beaver’s future will be finding a niche on the team. Like becoming a third down back type of specialist. Or finding a niche within a niche. Like adding added value on special teams.
He knows he can be a return specialist on punts and kickoffs. And he even went as far as saying he can be a gunner on the punt team or cover kickoffs as well.
“A lot of guys might come in there just wanting to play running back. I’ll come in and there and be so versatile. I’ll do anything it takes to make that team.”
Photo credit: Scott K. Brown for SI
