Oklahoma TE Rocky Beers Reveling in Preparation for Final Collegiate Season

Beers is hoping to showcase both his pass-catching and blocking abilities for Sooners this season.

Oklahoma tight end Rocky Beers prepares to catch a pass in practice.. Beers is a big piece of the Sooners' revamped tight ends room. | Carson Field, Sooners On SI

NORMAN — No one on Oklahoma’s roster has been through as many preseason camps as tight end Rocky Beers.

“Year seven, let’s see — it’s going pretty good. I got no complaints,” Beers said after Friday’s practice. “I love how Coach (Brent) Venables runs the program. I have no complaints with him. I think he gets us fired up every single day.”

Since graduating from Valor Christian Academy just outside of Denver, Beers has spent time in the Air Force Academy’s prep program, the Air Force Academy itself, Florida International, Colorado State and now, Oklahoma.

Beers has been rejuvenated by the newness of the Sooners, Venables, tight ends coach Jason Witten, and his role with the group.

“The tight end room is electric,” Beers said. “It’s super fun. We eat all of our meals together. We goof around. We take hits together, like Coach Witten might be mad at us one day but we’re taking it as a group so I have no complaints. I’m really enjoying this fall camp with the boys.”

The 6-foot-5, 240-pound Beers is a dual threat at the tight end spot, serving as a capable blocker while also recording 53 catches for 564 yards and nine touchdowns through the air during his career.

“You’ve got to be able to do both in this day and age,” Beers said. “You’ve got to be able to be in the slot, be a threat with your hands across the middle — a nice, easy outlet for John Mateer — pass dump, and then you’ve gotta be able to block some of the craziest freak athletes in the world week in and week out.”

Beers is also excited about playing a role in Oklahoma’s special teams.

But tight end is where he hopes to make his biggest mark, as he’s in a battle with Florida transfer Hayden Hansen to be the starter at the position.

“Just a healthy competition,” Beers said. “We know that if one of us goes down, the other one’s stepping up and if I go down, or whoever, Jack Van Dorselaer goes down, Trynae Washington goes down, Kade (McIntyre)’s stepping up, Tyler Ruxer’s stepping up, (Ryder) Mix is stepping up, John Locke is stepping up. We’ve got a good room.”

The Sooners have struggled to produce much from the tight end spot in recent years, but with the additions of Witten, Hansen, Beers and Van Dorselaer this offseason, there is optimism that the output will be much higher.

Either way, Beers is enjoying his latest go-round.

“I like being all over the field and being the jack-of-all-trades,” Beers said. “Hopefully they can just put me wherever they want. I really enjoy that about the game.”

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