This is good to see. Draft Wire’s Jeff Risdon shared his midseason grades for every rookie picked in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft, and he’s got a positive review for New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Bryan Bresee.
Based off the first-year pro’s work so far, Risdon graded Bresee with a B, writing that:
“Bresee brings a lot of energy and activity to the Saints defensive front, though it’s not always pointed in the right direction. The pass rushing has been solid and ever-improving. If he learns to stay disciplined in the run game, Bresee is going to be a very useful player for a long time.”
Better harnessing that energy is something Allen has talked about with Bresee — emphasizing that the rookie needs to maintain a lower pad level and hold up stronger in run defense. Too often he gets moved off the line of scrimmage or pushed aside to open a running lane. But when Bresee is given the green light to get after the passer, he does a great job, and that’s largely why the Saints drafted him.
Just look at his stat line going into Week 10: 11 tackles (7 solo, 3 tackles for loss), 17 pressures (at Pro Football Focus) and 1.5 sacks, plus 5 passes defensed, which are the second-most by a rookie defensive lineman in Saints franchise history. Bresee is impacting passing plays even when he isn’t getting home to the quarterback.
He’s been exactly as impactful a defender as the Saints expected when they called his name on draft day. Let’s see if Bresee can keep this momentum going into the second half of his rookie season.
