Isaac Beverly refuses to let the negatives faze him
DEL CITY — For a moment, Del City safety Isaac Beverly’s surroundings were blurred, like a spotlight was cast upon him.
One minute, he was walking through a hallway painted with red and black stripes along each wall. He returned a phone call he missed inside the Henry Manning Center, which sits adjacent to Del City High School’s football stadium.
As he passed through the hallway, he walked outside and stood at the top of a ramp. As he peered out at the field he calls home on Friday nights in the fall, a Stephen F. Austin coach was on the line to offer a
scholarship to the 6-2, 190-pound safety.
The next minute, Beverly felt like he was in a movie.
“Instantly you feel by yourself in a little room, and it’s white lights everywhere,” said Beverly, who ranks No. 20 on The Oklahoman’s Super 30 list for the 2018 recruiting class.
“It’s a heavenly feeling. You’re just like ‘wow, it’s real, I have an offer.’”
The college interest didn’t stop there. Memphis, North Texas, Ohio, Tulsa, and Wyoming, among others, have offered the imposing safety since he announced his first offer on March 21.
Life hasn’t always been easy, however, for the Del City native.
While in high school, Beverly’s father left him, his mother and sister. A lack of a male role model at home was a struggle and forced him to grow up quickly.
Going on his third different head coach entering his senior year hasn’t helped himeither.
Despite coaching changes, the game was a constant positive for Beverly through the hard times. He was put in football at a young age to keep him out of trouble and bring something good into his life.
As a defensive back and wide receiver, it’s given him a release from all the negativity.
He still remembers his first pick-six in high school. He was out of breath after scoring the touchdown, but he couldn’t stop smiling and couldn’t stop talking about the play after the game.
He then went home that night and watched his milestone on film over and over again.
Off the field, Beverly just wants to make other people smile.
He sees worn-down buildings every day and wants to make where he comes from look better. He’s hoping to one day be a businessman, and give back to the family and city that’s shaped him and supported him the best they can.
Beverly’s maturity and passion for the sport were apparent early to firstyear Del City head coach Mike Dunn.
“I felt like there’s a guy that has an opportunity to be a leader for us,” Dunn said. “That’s a guy you feel like you can rally around, because you see the personality. He’s not afraid to be vocal. He’s not afraid to speak up.”
Beverly will be a centerpiece for the Eagles defense this season. His size allows Dunn to get creative with where they can place him on the field, and Beverly’s concerted effort to continually improve his football I.Q. makes him even more special.
Del City hasn’t had much team success while Beverly’s been an Eagle, but he’s proud to play in a Del City uniform and he’ll look to make the most of his senior season — no matter what other people might say about where he comes from.
“It’s like Del City has this bad rep,” Beverly said. “They think everybody comes out of here as a thug, especially because of the environment it’s in.
“To overcome that and to show that everybody’s not like that coming out of here, it feels good. I wouldn’t want to be (anywhere) else. This is my family, this is where I want to be. Regardless, through the ups and the downs, it’s home. I’m an Eagle.”