Steelers Seventh Round Selection
KELVIN BEACHUMOffensive LinemanSouthern Methodist University6:03-306Mexia, TexasMexia High School7th Round – 248th OverallCAREER NOTESStarted all 52 games in four seasons… Named first team Conference USA after his junior season… as a senior he was named to Conference-USA All-Academic Team and selected to the Lombardi Award and Outland Award watch lists… Earned a spot on Dave Campbell's Texas Football's All-Texas Team as a sophomore.
2011 SEASONStarted all 12 games at left tackle and 52 straight overall… Blocked for the running back who led the league in rushing and an offense that ranked third in the league in passing offense… Selected to the Lombardi Award and Outland Award watch lists… Team has scored 336 points and racked up 5,052 yards of total offense… SMU's SAAC President… Named to the C-USA All-Academic Team.
2010 SEASONStarted all 14 games at left tackle... Named First Team Conference USA... Blocked for an offense that totaled a school-record 3,861 passing yards and added 1,943 yards on the ground;
2009 SEASONStarted all 13 games at left tackle... Blocked for an SMU offense that passed for a school record 3,666 yards, scored a school record 380 points and rolled up a school record 5,093 yards of total offense... Named second-team All-C-USA by the league's coaches... One of 12 student-athletes to receive the fall C-USA Spirit of Service Award... Named to Dave Campbell's Texas Football's All-Texas Team;
2008 SEASONStarted all 12 games at left tackle... Blocked for an offense that threw for a school-record-tying 29 TDs and ranked 17th in the nation in passing offense... Named to the College Football Top Ten & Pegasus News All-DFW College Football Team.
2007 SEASONRedshirted.
HIGH SCHOOLNamed first-team All-District 19-3A as a senior and second-team All-District as a junior... Also a Super Cen-Tex player and All-Academic pick... Allowed only one sack in 2006... Rated a second-team preseason All-State prospect by TexasHSfootball.com... A two-star Rivals.com and Scout.com prospect... A Dave Campbell's Texas Football "Player To Watch"... Averaged a double-double in basketball and once scored 34 in a single game... Chose SMU over Iowa State and others… Earned his undergraduate degree in economics and was working on a Master's of Liberal Studies as a senior… Born 6/8/1989.
* AUDIO: Kelvin Beachum Conference Call
Kelvin Beachum Conference Call Transcript
KELVIN BEACHUMOffensive Lineman7th Round – 248th OverallHas it been a long couple of days waiting for this?Yes it has.
What is it like waiting this long to go in a round like this?
It is tough. You get a lot of calls from a lot of other teams, some talking free agency, then you have to talk to your agent, then you get a call from Coach Tomlin and now I'm in Pittsburgh. It's just tough, but it is exciting. All the emotions you can think about, that is what's going on right now.
Did the Steelers talk to you about playing guard?
Yes sir. They did when I was there for the visit a couple of weeks ago, with the ability to swing at tackle if need be and just being a team player understanding what the Pittsburgh Steelers are all about. It's a team atmosphere, it's about winning as a team and if we need you to play another position are you willing to play there and I'm all for it.
Are they going to put you at guard first?
Yes sir, I believe they are.
Do you think that is because of your size?
I'm not the 6' 6", 340 or whatever size you need at the typical left tackle, I understand my role and what they need from me, and that's what they are going to get.
Did you play any games at guard in college?
No sir. I played all my games at left tackle.
Do you think starting every collegiate game helped you in the eyes of the Steelers?
Yes sir, I think it does. It shows them that I'm committed to playing football. Football is my life and that I want to be the best at staying on the field and I'm going to find a way to get on the field. I think that's the type of competition that they want to come in and make their organization better to get us back to the Super Bowl again.
