Published December 10, 2o25
BY ZANA BALABAN
Standing 6-foot-8 and 260 pounds with a 7-foot wingspan, Carmel High School left tackle Robert Beverly cuts an imposing figure on the field. Protecting the quarterback’s blind side, he allowed only one career sack—an impressive stat, especially for a player who didn’t start football until high school and only joined the offensive line last year.
At the end of this fall semester, Beverly is set to graduate early and enroll at University of California, Davis, giving him a six-month head start over NCAA Division I competition.
Left tackle is a position held for the most powerful athlete on the team, according to CHS’ head football coach, making Robert Beverly the ideal candidate. photo by PETE NOTO
The three-star recruit, ranked the No. 216 tackle in the nation, was pursued by several DI Football Bowl Subdivision programs, including Brigham Young University and the University of Southern California. Ultimately, it was Davis’ investment in his development and academic opportunities that secured his commitment.
“For the first quarter, I’ll just be lifting and running,” says Beverly, who will also begin business classes. “Spring football will be in the second quarter, and that’s when the real practices will start.”
To understand how quickly Beverly rose to the DI level, his current coach looks back at when he joined the program.
“When Robert first came to us, he hadn’t played youth football, and he was a tall, kind of skinny guy,” says Carmel head coach Golden Anderson.
6-foot-8 recruit Robert Beverly, with U.C. Davis offensive line coach Mike Cody, joins the Aggies for their commitment to his athletic and academic development. courtesy of ROBERT BEVERLY
At the left tackle position, where elite athleticism is essential, Beverly’s natural traits–genetics from parents who stand at 5-foot-10 and 6-foot-4—plus years of weight training, gave him a rare foundation. Combined with his quick feet and gametime mentality, Beverly became, as Anderson says, the complete package.
“Robert is the kind of player who will come up to me in a game when it’s not going so well on defense and say, ‘Leave me in. I won’t get tired. I can help,’” Anderson explains. “All these schools wanted to be the one to work with this ball of clay. He plays both ways. He’s humble, he’s fit, he’s young, and he’s new at the position.”
U.C. Davis offensive line coach Mike Cody agrees, noting that Beverly is expected to compete early for the Aggies.
“Rob’s work ethic is unmatched,” Cody says. “He holds something we call ‘UC DNA’–a highly motivated, smart, talented young man with a rage to master.”
Beverly became a stabilizing force on a Carmel team that lost about 25 seniors after last year’s state championship run, and he had to adjust to a more run-heavy offense and a new quarterback to protect.
His quarterback, senior Kaleb Herro, says the trust between them built throughout high school.
“Having Robert protect my blind side was really important, and I was fortunate to have someone like him,” Herro says. “Rob executes his position really effectively, and we have the same goal: to win.”
Beverly remains open to the possibility of playing in the National Football League, but if the opportunity doesn’t present itself, the 4.39 GPA student says he has set himself up for a good education and later career.
