Andrew Beard | Prince Avenue Christian RB | Florida Gators Commit

Football runs deep in Andrew Beard's family. His uncle, Garrison Hearst, was an All-American running back at Georgia in 1992 and went on to a 12-year NFL career. His father, Jerry Beard, played at Appalachian State. By the time Andrew started playing tackle football, the path was already well-worn — he just had to decide what to do with it.

Beard is the senior leader at Prince Avenue Christian in Bogart, Georgia, a school that relocated from downtown Athens roughly 20 years ago and launched its football program in 2007. Under head coach Jon Richt — whose father, Mark Richt, coached the Georgia Bulldogs for 15 seasons — the Wolverines have built a program that emphasizes development on and off the field. Beard credits that environment for shaping him beyond football, pointing to the school's college prep academics and faith-based culture as factors that set PAC apart from other programs.

On the field, Beard draws comparisons to Christian McCaffrey for his versatility as a runner and receiver. His coach describes him as the first player opposing staffs notice on film — a back with natural vision, improved physicality from dedicated work in the weight room, and the durability to handle a full college workload. Beard leads by example rather than volume, setting the standard in practice and in the weight room for younger teammates.

After sorting through a scholarship list that included multiple SEC and Big Ten programs, Beard gave a verbal commitment to the Florida Gators. His stated goal is straightforward: reach the NFL, sign a second contract, and play it all the way out — the same standard his uncle set before him.