Another one of the projected top picks in the upcoming draft has entered the pool of available players to join the NFL. Clemson defensive tackle Bryan Bresee announced on Instagram that he is forgoing his senior college year and turning pro.
Bresee was the top prospect in the country in 2020 after he posted 35 sacks during his high school career. He, therefore, joined the Tigers with substantial expectations, which he lived up to immediately. In his freshman campaign, Bresee notched four sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss, and one forced fumble en route to being named a Freshman All-American.
Things took a turn for the worse the following year, however. Bresee suffered a torn ACL one month into the 2021 season and put up limited numbers as a result. The fact that he still managed 1.5 sacks and three TFLs in that brief timeframe demonstrates his disruptiveness as a pass-rusher and run defender, something which will of course make him a highly sought-after prospect in the spring.
After recovering from the injury, the 6-foot-5, 300-pounder delivered another impressive season in 2022. He racked up 3.5 sacks, 15 total stops, and 5.5 tackles for loss across 10 contests. That earned him second-team All-ACC honors and left little doubt that he would choose to end his college career after three years and immediately head to the NFL.
Bresee is widely expected to be selected in the first round of the upcoming draft, with the possibility existing that he will be a top-ten pick. The same is roughly true of his Clemson teammate, edge rusher Myles Murphy, after the pair established themselves as NFL-ready prospects. Bresee’s missed time could represent a red flag for some, but his production in the passing game in particular will likely outweigh those concerns, especially if he impresses during the pre-draft process.
