If Cole Beasley doesn't make the Dallas Cowboys' 53-man roster it won't be because he lacked confidence.
The 5-8, 182-pound wide receiver out of SMU turned some heads during mini-camp with his speed, reliable hands and ability to make the tough grabs in traffic.
His athleticism and size draws immediate comparisons to New England Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker, someone Beasley admires.
But that didn't prevent the rookie from boldly differentiating himself from the four-time Pro Bowler.
"I get tired of it a little bit because I feel like I have a little bit more speed than Wes Welker does," Beasley said Tuesday on 105.3 The Fan's RAGE radio show. "He's got a little bigger frame than me but I feel like I've got a little more versatility to my game than he does."
Beasley later added: "I do have similarities with him but I feel like I can play a little bit more outside [than him], as well as inside."
The confidence was certainly on display, possibly something that could put Beasley, who had consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons the last two years at SMU, in the mix to not only compete for a roster spot but perhaps the No. 3 receiver position that's up for grabs. If he's anywhere near as effective as Welker the Cowboys will be in great shape.
"He's a great player," Beasley said of Welker. "He's one of the best in the game and he's doing a lot of things that people said people our size couldn't do, so he pretty much opened the door for me to get in the NFL."
Before ending the interview, Beasley was asked if he could've caught the ball Welker dropped with about four minutes remaining in the previous Super Bowl, a pass that would've likely given the Patriots their fourth Super Bowl title.
"Oh yeah," Beasley replied. "You got to catch that one."
Follow Jon Machota on Twitter: @jonmachota
