Next in the scouting profile series is a former five-star recruit who had a dynamic start to his Clemson career. But injuries and other issues make his draft stock a little less cut and dry than the potential top-10 overall projections.
Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 305 (listed by Clemson)
21 years old
Bresee made a big splash at Clemson as one of the top recruits in the nation, earning ACC Rookie of the Year honors in 2020. The athletic prowess that made him so highly coveted out of high school and earned him a spot on Bruce Feldman’s “freaks” list is still evident in Bresee, but the football side of the equation hasn’t ascended as high as hoped. Not yet, anyway…
Pros
–very impressive combination of strength and agility for his size
–naturally slippery in the gaps as a DT; can make himself narrow and avoids being squared up exceptionally well
–two-step burst off the snap is as quick as anyone; twitchy and light on his feet
–can line up anywhere from 0T to 7T and win as a pass rusher
–plays with tangible emotional energy and competitiveness
–uses his hands well in combat and can shed blocks
–quick to pull out a countermove if his first pass rush idea gets stopped
–pretty solid lateral range as a run defender
Cons
–plays too upright and can get too high with his hands
–more weight-room strong than football strong, especially in the lower body; doesn’t anchor in run defense and can be pushed off the spot by technically sound interior blockers (see: Notre Dame 2022 and Florida State 2022)
–missed significant time in the last two seasons with a torn ACL in 2021, an illness and a tragic death in the family in 2022
–production (9 sacks, 28 solo tackles in 25 games) is spotty and 25 percent of his career production came in two games vs. poor Georgia Tech teams
–has not developed his technique or overall ability since he arrived at Clemson
–misses more tackle opportunities than many of his DT peers by focusing too narrowly on his individual battle
Overall
Bresee is a tantalizing athletic specimen with rare quickness and agility for an interior defensive lineman. He’s capable of wreaking havoc as a pass rusher and finishing what he starts. The initial quickness followed by strength and twitchy reactions make him a real handful between the tackles. Alas, there is more to the story with Bresee.
The ACL injury in 2021 really stunted his development, both technically and athletically. He’s a player who best wins by out-athleting the opponent, and he couldn’t do that in an injury-riddled 2022 nearly as effectively a before the injury. He was often a liability in run defense and it got worse, not better, the more he played at Clemson.
Bresee is very talented and capable of being an impact player, no doubt about it. But there are some very real flags that shouldn’t be ignored and leave a high “bust” risk as well.
If the Lions covet Bresee, it’s hard to imagine him lasting far past their pick at No. 18 overall given his athletic profile and high-end potential.
