Justin Bethel
Bethel in 2013
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| No. 28 Arizona Cardinals | |||||||||||||||
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| Position: |
Cornerback Special teamer |
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Date of birth: | June 17, 1990 | ||||||||||||||
| Place of birth: | Sumter, South Carolina | ||||||||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 200 lb (91 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school: | Blythewood (SC) | ||||||||||||||
| College: | Presbyterian | ||||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2012 / Round: 6 / Pick: 177 | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
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| Roster status: | Active | ||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics as of 2016 | |||||||||||||||
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| Total tackles: | 144 |
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| Pass deflections: | 15 |
| Forced fumbles: | 8 |
| Interceptions: | 3 |
| Defensive touchdowns: | 3 |
| Games played: | 80 |
| 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.
Bethel was born in Sumter, South Carolina and at age 6 he moved with his family to Columbia. 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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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