Tennessee linebacker Aaron Beasley cleared of animal cruelty charges

Tennessee faced adversity pretty early on during the spring, creating some roster challenges for Josh Heupel right off the bat in Knoxville. The Vols also saw several key players enter the transfer portal, which obviously created plenty of depth issues.

Probably the biggest challenge came at linebacker, where Tennessee operated with three to four players at the position for most of the spring. Those numbers suffered even more when Aaron Willis and Martavius French were suspended following an incident on campus.

And then there was Aaron Beasley, who found himself indefinitely suspended following an animal cruelty charge. On Thursday, Beasley was cleared of those charges, clearing the way for him to return to the football program.

Read more on the situation from Trey Wallace at Rocky Top Insider here.

Beasley’s return will obviously create a little more depth for Tennessee, something they absolutely could use. The Volunteers added veteran linebacker Juwan Mitchell from Texas after the spring, who joins Jeremy Banks, Kwauze Garland, Morven Joseph and Solon Page.

Beasley is a former three-star prospect out of Franklin, Georgia. The 6-1, 225 pound defender began his career at safety, but has since shifted down to the linebacker position. Beasley is entering his third year in the Tennessee program, mainly contributing on special teams to this point. His role certainly should increase this fall, with Henry To’o To’o and Quavaris Crouch exiting the program.