Justin Bethel

Justin Bethel

refer to caption Bethel in the 2013 preseason.
No. 28 Arizona Cardinals
Position:	Cornerback Special teamer
Personal information
Date of birth:	(1990-06-17) June 17, 1990
Place of birth:	Sumter, South Carolina
Height:
Weight:
Career information
High school:	Blythewood (SC)
College:	Presbyterian
NFL draft:	2012 / Round: 6 / Pick: 177
Career history
Arizona Cardinals (2012–present)
Roster status:	Active
Career highlights and awards
3× Pro Bowl (2013, 2014, 2015) 2× First-team All-Pro (2013, 2015) 3× Pro Football Focus All-Pro (2013, 2014, 2015)
Career NFL statistics as of 2015
Total tackles: 105 Pass deflections: 9 Forced fumbles: 3 Interceptions: 2 Defensive touchdowns: 1 Games Played: 64 Player stats at NFL.com

Justin Andrew Bethel (born June 17, 1990) is an American football cornerback and special teamer for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Cardinals in the sixth round of the 2012 NFL Draft. He played college football at Presbyterian College.

Early life

Bethel was born in Sumter, South Carolina and at age 6 he moved with his family to Columbia. As a child, Bethel started playing drums. He started playing football at age 11 when he was in sixth grade. He attended Blythewood High School where in 2007 he was named Blythewood's Defensive Player of the Year and Most Improved Defensive Player. He helped the team win the State Championship in 2006.

College

Bethel did not receive much interest from college football programs, and he planned to study culinary arts at Johnson & Wales University, until his high school coach, Clemson co-offensive coordinator Jeff Scott, was hired to be a coach for the Presbyterian College Blue Hose. Bethel decided to attend Presbyterian, and majored in Business Administration.

2008 season

Bethel played in 12 games during his freshman season, amassing 54 tackles and 37 solo tackles. He had 2 interceptions and two blocked kicks.

2009 season

2009 was a breakout season for Bethel. He had a team-best 79 tackles during 11 games, 55 of which were solo. He blocked 3 kicks, two in a game against Gardner–Webb University. He also forced one fumble and had 4.5 tackles for a loss. For his efforts, he was named to the Big South Conference All-Conference Second-Team Defensive squad.

Professional career

Bethel caught the attention of pro scouts with a strong performance at the East-West Shrine Game, and because of a YouTube video showing him making a vertical leap onto boxes five feet high. At the NFL Combine his meaured vertical leap of 39½ inches was the highest of any defensive player. Ultimately he was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the sixth round, making him the first Presbyterian player chosen in the NFL Draft since 1969. On December 23, 2012 week 16 against the Chicago Bears, Bethel recovered Olindo Mare's blocked field goal and returned it 82 yards for a touchdown, though Chicago won 28-13.

In 2013 Justin Bethel became Presbyterian College's first ever Pro Bowler. In the 2013 season he recorded 18 special-teams tackles while blocking two field goals and forcing two more field goal misses. He is considered by Pro Football Focus the best special-teams player in the NFL.

In 2014, team reporter Darren Urban announced that Bethel gave up his number 31 to Antonio Cromartie and took 28, which was worn the 2013 season by running back Rashard Mendenhall, who retired from the NFL 2013 offseason.

In 2015, his high school alma mater, Blythewood (SC) High School, retired his jersey number 31.

On December 5, 2015, Bethel agreed to a three-year, $15 million contract extension with the Cardinals.

External links

• Presbyterian Blue Hose bio
• Arizona Cardinals bio