This time last year it seemed like Armon Bethea may not have many options at the Power Five level but a physical transformation during the spring and summer of 2020 put him on the radar of a number of big time programs. The slimmer version of the Brooklyn (N.Y.) Erasmus Hall Campus offensive lineman amassed an offer sheet featuring teams from every Power Five conference and eventually narrowed his choices down to Ole Miss, Arizona State, Arkansas, and Louisville. Bethea ended up choosing Arizona State during the All-American Bowl special.
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CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2022 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
COVERAGE: Rivals Transfer Tracker | Rivals Camp Series
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WHAT THE SUN DEVILS ARE GETTING
Last season Bethea showed that he’s the type of offensive lineman that can drive defenders off the ball. Offensive line coaches love linemen that can pave the way for running backs and that’s exactly what Bethea can do. Now that he’s about 40-pounds lighter than a year ago, Bethea should be able to still generate a great push up front but he’ll be more effective landing key blocks at the second and third levels. The better balance and athleticism that can come from not carrying as much bad weight could be a game changer for Bethea. He doesn’t have a ton of experience facing elite interior pass rushers that possess the combination of speed and power he’ll face at the college level.
WHY IT'S BIG FOR ARIZONA STATE
Herm Edwards and his staff are trying to build the Sun Devils into a team that compete in the long run and that starts up front with some big bodies that can protect the passer and create running lanes. That’s exactly what the Arizona State coaching staff is hoping for out of Bethea. Beating teams like Ole Miss and Arkansas is important for Arizona State, especially considering how well they’ve developed offensive linemen in the past. Ole Miss has a coaching staff that can mold linemen to fit their needs and Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman has put together very strong groups of offensive linemen at his previous stops.
