2015: Appeared in 12 games as the Mountaineers’ ‘Z’ receiver ... missed the regular-season finale at South Alabama due injury ... set career highs with 265 receiving yards and three touchdown catches ... averaged 18.9 yards per reception, which would have ranked third in the Sun Belt and 22nd nationally if he had enough receptions to qualify for the national statistical rankings ... was Appalachian State’s second-leading kickoff returner with seven returns for 152 yards (21.7 avg. ... was team’s primary punt returner with 11 returns for 40 yards (3.6 avg.) ... caught three touchdown passes during a four-game span from Sept. 26-Oct. 17 — a 53-yarder at Old Dominion, a 29-yarder at Georgia State and a 58-yarder at UL Monroe ... matched a career high with four receptions (for 62 yards) against Troy ... scored final touchdown of the season on a 17-yard run at Idaho (his only rushing attempt of the season) ... also returned three kickoffs for 71 yards and two punts for 32 yards at Idaho, good for a season-high 120 all-purpose yards ... selected to participate in Tropic Bowl.
2014: Saw action in all 12 games with 10 starts at the “Z” receiver position ... set career highs with 17 catches for 202 yards and two touchdowns ... ranked fourth on the team in receptions, tied for fourth in touchdown receptions and fifth in receiving yards ... served as the team’s primary punt and kickoff returner, finishing with nine punt returns for 65 yards (7.2 avg.) and a touchdown and 11 kickoff returns for 238 yards (21.6 avg.) ... also recorded four tackles on the season, including two in punt coverage and one on kickoff coverage (the fourth came after an Appalachian State interception) ... after posting just three catches for 28 yards over the first three seasons of his career, surpassed those totals just three games into the 2014 campaign with four receptions for 30 yards (1-0 at Michigan, 1-10 vs. Campbell, 2-20 at Southern Miss) ... enjoyed a breakout performance with four catches for 84 yards (both career highs) and first-career touchdown in overtime loss to Liberty ... 60-yard touchdown catch early in the second half against Liberty was the longest reception of his career ... returned Troy’s opening kickoff 40 yards to set up a 59-yard touchdown pass on Appalachian State’s first play that set the tone for the Mountaineers’ 53-14 rout in Troy, Ala. ... had a 10-yard run and a 10-yard catch in a snowy 44-0 win over Georgia State ... 10-yard reception against Georgia State kickstarted a strong finish for Beathard, who caught eight passes for 72 yards over the final five games of the season ... put together one of the finest performances of his career at UL Lafayette, catching two passes for 24 yards (the second-highest single-game yardage total of his career) and returning a punt 33 yards for a touchdown in a convincing 35-16 win over the eventual R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl champions ... was named National Special Teams Player of the Week by College Football Performance Awards following the punt return for a touchdown against UL Lafyette ... the punt-return touchdown was the first by a Mountaineer since Dexter Jackson returned two for scores against Gardner-Webb on Sept. 23, 2006 ... closed the season with two catches for eight yards, including an eight-yard touchdown catch, in season finale against Idaho ... also had a 36-yard kickoff return (the second-longest of his career) in 45-28 win over Idaho.
2013: Played in all 12 games ... made first-career start in season opener at Montana ... caught three passes for 28 yards ... all three of his receptions resulted in first downs ... had career-high two catches for 15 yards in opener at Montana ... other reception was a 13-yarder versus Chattanooga ... returned seven kickoffs for 22.1-yard average (best on team among players with multiple returns) ... career-long 44-yard kick return versus Chattanooga set up a touchdown that pulled Appalachian State even late in the fourth quarter ... made four tackles on special teams (two covering kickoffs and two on punts).
2012: Saw action in all 12 games, primarily on special teams … ranked second on the team in kickoff returns (9), kickoff-return yardage (182), punt returns (7) and punt-return yardage (13) … recorded two tackles on punt coverage (vs. Elon, at Samford) … had a season-best 27-yard kickoff return versus Coastal Carolina … fielded two punts apiece against Elon (two yards) and Western Carolina (zero yards) … returned a season-high four kickoffs for 80 yards and returned one punt for six yards in win at top-ranked Georgia Southern.
2011: Appeared in each of the first three games of the season before suffering a head injury that knocked him out of action for the rest of the campaign … did not catch any passes or return any kickoffs or punts in limited action … assisted on a tackle on a kickoff return versus North Carolina A&T … applied for and received a medical redshirt from the NCAA.
High School: Named the 2010 Prince William County News & Messenger Prep Football Player of the Year ... helped lead Battlefield H.S. to the Virginia AAA Division 6 state championship and a 13-2 overall record as a senior in 2010 ... caught 28 passes as a senior with 18 of the receptions coming in five postseason games ... averaged 14.7 yards per catch on the season with eight of his 28 receptions going for touchdowns ... also rushed for 385 yards and returned two punts for touchdowns ... versatile athlete earned second-team all-region accolades at wide receiver and first-team honors as a defensive back ... coached by Mark Cox.
Personal: Full name is Jeffrey Robert Beathard, Jr. ... born Sept. 11, 1992 (turns 23 during season) ... son of Michelle Palumbo and Jeff Beathard ... father, Jeff, is a scout for the Carolina Panthers ... grandfather, Bobby Beathard, is the former general manager of the Washington Redskins and San Diego Chargers and also served as a scout for the Kansas City Chiefs and Atlanta Falcons and director of player personnel for the Miami Dolphins during his 38 years in the NFL ... teams he worked for appeared in seven Super Bowls, winning four ... in addition to his father and grandfather, three uncles also played football collegiately ... majoring in health promotion … member of Appalachian State athletics’ academic honor roll and was also a member of Southern Conference academic honor roll.
