By Sammy Batten
©2010 Bonesville.net
All rights reserved.

Jeton Beavers came to one of those life-altering crossroads as a freshman at Bayside High School in Virginia Beach, VA.

“He couldn't decide if he wanted to be Mike Tyson or a regular student,'' Bayside varsity football coach Darnell Moore said. “He got suspended for that (fighting) several times and that affected his grades.''

It took two years, but Beavers has managed to change his life and resurrect his football career. He's become a model student as a senior and is currently sporting four As and two Bs, according to Moore. And after playing less than half a football season at Bayside, Beavers has received and accepted a scholarship offer from a major-college program.

The 6-foot-4½, 245-pound defensive end became the 14th player to make an oral commitment to East Carolina's recruiting Class of 2011 earlier this month following a relatively brief courtship that began last spring.

But first, the background on Beavers.

He showed great potential as a freshman on the Bayside junior varsity team before earning a promotion to the varsity for the final three games of the season. But after a series of off-the-field altercations, Beavers' grades fell and he became academically ineligible to participate in sports.

It was a delicate time for Beavers, who could have easily given up school and football. But Moore wouldn't give up on the troubled teen. He continued to encourage Beavers through a two-year period when he wasn't eligible to play football. During that time, Moore said, Beavers “realized he could do things for himself by taking the right path.''

Beavers rejoined the football team for workouts last spring. When East Carolina's coaches made their spring swing through the Tidewater Region, Moore called their attention to Beavers.

“They liked what they saw, and then he went to their (summer) camp,'' Moore said. “Based on how he performed at camp, they offered him a scholarship.''

A decision wouldn't be made by Beavers until November when he made his commitment over interest from Louisville, Marshall, N.C. State and Old Dominion.

By then, Beavers was in the midst of a strong senior season at Bayside.

“He's having a solid year,'' Moore said. “He's done well against the run and pass. I think he has about six sacks all total. He missed one game with an injured shoulder and missed one other with a dislocated finger. But he had them put a cast on that so he can play.''

East Carolina has struggled with depth on its defensive front this season. Graduation losses and injuries up front led the Pirates to move linebackers like Justin Dixon and Derrell Johnson to bolster those positions.

Beavers recognized the need at ECU and that's one reason he chose to become a Pirate.

“I think he sees an opportunity there,'' Moore said. “Of course, the majority of kids coming out of high school are hoping to have that opportunity to play early. That's realistic for some and for some it's not.

“I think for Jeton, when he gets to school, they'll look at him and say if he plays as a freshman he'll do OK. But if we give him a year, he could be great for four years. I think he'd really benefit from redshirting.''

Moore believes Jeton could wind up playing end or tackle for the Pirates.

“He's a kid, if somebody decided to, could put 20 to 30 pounds on him and he'd be a defensive tackle,'' Moore said. “There aren't many 6-4, 295-pound defensive tackles who can move like him.''

Beavers is the third defensive line prospect to give a verbal commitment to ECU. He follows end Terrell Stanley from West Brunswick High in Shallotte, NC, and end Leroy Vick from the Georgia Military Academy. Vick is from Wilson, NC.