MOBILE, Ala. – University of South Alabama football defensive lineman Jordon Beaton recently sat down with USAJaguars.com to discuss his journey to the South, the improvement of the defensive line and how his power lifting background has helped him on the football field, among other things.

Beaton, a senior from Gulfport, Miss., is in his second season with the program. He was an honorable mention all-Sun Belt Conference following his first season with the program after starting all 12 contests at nose tackle. He recorded 30 total tackles including six behind the line of scrimmage with a pair of sacks, and was also credited with two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery last season.

You were born in Queens, N.Y., how long did you live there?
"I pretty much spent a majority of my life living up there. When I was around 12 or 13, I moved down to the South."

How did you end up living in the South?
"My grandfather was a retired doctor and he lived down South. He and my mother discussed things and they decided it would be a better lifestyle down here for me to live in. I would have the chance to be more involved in things like athletics."

With your parents still living in New York, where did you live growing up down here?
"I was pretty much raised by my grandfather, but I also lived with a friend and his family to finish out high school. I was going to move back to New York, but Rachel and Robert Ire, who were the parents of my best friend, let me stay in their house which provided me with a great opportunity. It meant a lot to me that they trusted me to live with them and their family. They took me to camps and treated me like their own. They are a second family for me."

How often do your family members get to attend games?
"My mom and dad still live in New York, so they come when they are able. They both work city jobs; my mom drives trains and my dad drives buses. Whenever they have vacation, they come to games."

Talk with me about your path to South Alabama and what ultimately led to your decision to come to become a Jag?
"A cool little story for me happened when I was in ninth grade. I was part of a 7-on-7 program where I was a linebacker. Mobile was hosting the Senior Bowl, so I came over and watched the game. A couple of years after that, I ended up visiting South's campus. Throughout my junior college recruitment, I felt comfortable here at South. I felt like the coaches fit me and my personality. It was just a perfect fit. I'm also only about 45 minutes away from where I went to high school so I can go back home."

What do you like most about playing on the interior of the defensive line?
"I like just being able to be physical. I can go out there and just play hard, make tackles and fly around. The best part to me is the physical part of the position."

What do you see as your role in the defense?
"I'm not a very vocal guy, so I lead more by example. I try to show that through my passion in how I attack something and do something. I just try to be that quiet guy who gets the job done. I don't have to say much or need anyone to get me too riled up. I just go out there and do my job the best that I can and be as consistent as I can."

Is there a player you try to emulate out on the field?
"Not really. I just try to be the strongest, quickest guy out there, and just try to be physical. I do like watching certain players in the NFL like Aaron Donald, but personally I just try to be myself."

How has the defensive line improved as a whole?
"I feel the entire defensive line has improved a lot. We're more mature, we're a brotherhood and we all look forward to playing our position. I see it like this, there are really no starters on the defensive line. Everyone who plays has the ability to impact the game in some way. We've just come in and worked hard and acted as one. We're just a pack of guys who lead the team and just want to do great."

What type of leadership role have you assumed on the team?
"The type of leadership role that I've tried to take on for this team is just one of doing the little things right like being at the right place at the right time. I'm the type of person who is never really late when it comes to classes. All my classes are always taken care of. Study hall is always done. I just focus on what's important so I don't ever have to be one of those guys who didn't do something or has to do extra running because something wasn't done. I just try to show my teammates that I'm accountable and they can count on me in any situation. I feel like people follow behind me because of that."

What are some goals you set for yourself this season?
"I want to have as much fun as I can out there on the field. I know that doesn't sound like a real big goal, but it's really important to me because at this point in my career, if I don't get to another level of football, this is it for me so I want to embrace every moment I have here and enjoy every moment. Other than that, I just want to play my position to the best of my ability and help my team."

What has it meant to you to be able to continue playing football so close to your hometown?
"It's been pretty important to me. Throughout this whole process of getting into football and becoming a Division I athlete, and even back to my junior college experience in Mississippi where I pretty much grew up, those people have supported me a lot. To be able to place close to home and have them come visit me and watch me play has meant a lot. It's like I'm still at home."

What are you wanting to do after your football career is over?
"I have a couple of career paths that I can take. My degree is going to be in coaching and sports management, so one thing I would love to do is become a strength and conditioning coach. I'm big into that because in high school I was a state champion in power lifting. I know all about nutrition and cutting weight, knowing how to build weight and keeping strength. I want to be able to open up my own gym one day in the future, so that's kind of my career path."

How has your power lifting background, especially as an interior defensive lineman, helped you out on the football field?
"Being a power lifter is the best thing I could've ever done. I played a lot of sports in high school. I played basketball, track and did shot put, but when I got into power lifting I completely changed out on the field, because I could feel the strength. My muscles were stronger and I was able to move better. Just learning the correct form and how to lift weights will make you stronger. When I learned that, it was amazing how much I could lift."

Who has had the biggest influence on your life?
"To me, it's a lot of people from coaches in high school, coaches from junior college and even coaches here at South. I lived with a different family for about a year-and-a-half at the end of high school. I feel that throughout a person's life they meet a lot of people and that there isn't one specific person that has a big influence on someone's life. You pull stuff from each person, and that's how it is for me. I'm always going to go hard and try to do the best I can for my family, but there are also so many people who did a lot to help me get to this point that I have to show them respect and go hard for them too."

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