31 Player Countdown: #4 Zane Beadles

To help pass the time, we’re reviewing 31 players in 31 days (in alphabetical order) leading all the way up until Game Day on Monday, September 12th.  Today’s player: offensive lineman Zane Beadles.

A second year offensive guard who played collegiate football at Utah, Beadles measures up and weighs in at 6-4, 305 pounds.  He will retain his starting role on Denver’s offensive line this season.

Quick Facts/Stats (courtesy of the Denver Broncos):

• A second-year offensive guard who played all 16 games (14 starts) in 2010 and was named to The Sporting News’ All-Rookie Team after opening eight contests at left guard and six contests at right tackle.
  

  Beadles is one of the most fan-friendly players on the team.

• Became the first NFL rookie since Andre Gurode (Dal., 2002) to start at least six games at two of the three positions along the offensive line (C, G, T).

• Called for just two penalties (15 yds.) in 2010, ranking second among league rookie offensive linemen who played all 16 games (min. 10 starts). 

• Teamed with center J.D. Walton to become the sixth and seventh rookie offensive linemen in franchise history to start a regular-season opener.

• Played 51 games (50 starts) at the University of Utah, where he was a three-time All- Mountain West Conference selection and received several All-America honors as a senior.

• Named the 2009-10 Mountain West Conference Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year following his senior season and was a four-time Academic All-MWC honoree.

• Selected by the Broncos in the second round (45th overall) of the 2010 NFL Draft.

Did You Know… Beadles allowed the second-most sacks (6.0) among Denver’s offensive lineman last season.  It was a poor year for the entire squad however and Beadles looks to bounce back in 2011.

Quote ‘Em: “I had been eyeing that pick all along… You never know what’s going to happen in the draft, but I thought it was a great fit from the beginning. I’m obviously very excited to be a Bronco.”  — Zane Beadles after being drafted by the Broncos in 2010.  (Via Desert News)

Here’s looking forward to another productive year out of Beadles and more entertaining twitter updates from the young offensive lineman.