Bryan Bresee

OVERVIEW

Summary: Tremendous talent with background in multiple sports, including basketball, that helped bring versatility to his game. After arriving at Clemson as the No. 1 prep recruit in 2020, Bresee was an immediate hit, or hitter, starting ten games and collecting four sacks as a freshman. He explodes off the line, uses his hands as deadly weapons and usually demands the attention of two blockers. Injuries and tragedy loomed over his last two seasons, including an ACL tear, kidney infection and the passing of his 15-year old sister, Ella, who succumbed to an aggressive form of brain cancer. Bresee missed four games last year and teams are taking a close look at his medical issues.  

FRANKLY: Until his ACL injury in 2021, Bresee was one of the top three or four defensive tackle prospects in the country. He played well some of 2022, but it was hard to get a gauge on him due to the kidney problem, the distraction of his sister's death and the fact that Clemson rotates linemen so often he really wasn’t on the field in a sustained manner much of the year. He has the right mindset and physical ability to be a top pro. Looks like a first-round prospect in the 10-15 area.

STATS

YEAR (GP/GS)    TKLS   TFL   SACK    FF    PD    INT

2020: (12/10)        23       6.5      4.0         1       2       0

2021: (4/4)            12       3.0      1.5         0       1       1

2022: (10/7)          15       5.5      3.5         0       2       0

Total: (26/21)        50      15.0     9.0         1       5       1

HISTORY -— From College Profile

Former No. 1 recruit in the country who burst onto the scene as a Freshman All-American in 2020 … became the second ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year in Clemson history, joining Dexter Lawrence (2016) … credited with 64 career tackles (15.0 for loss), 9.0 sacks, four pass breakups, an interception, a forced fumble and a safety in 915 snaps from scrimmage over 26 games (21 starts) … also contributed offensively in Clemson’s jumbo package.

2022: Lott IMPACT Trophy quarterfinalist … second-team All-ACC selection … fourth-team All-ACC pick by Phil Steele … credited with 16 tackles (5.5 for loss), 3.5 sacks and two pass breakups in 329 snaps from scrimmage over 10 games (seven starts) … recorded five tackles (2.0 for loss) and a half-sack at Georgia Tech … recorded two tackles in “Ella Strong” game vs. Furman, a game dedicated to his younger sister Ella in the midst of her battle with brain cancer … posted one tackle and a critical double-overtime pass breakup at No. 21 Wake Forest … had a key sack on a third down in the fourth quarter vs. No. 14 Syracuse to help Clemson protect a late lead in a comeback victory … made a tackle at Notre Dame … recorded two tackles (1.5 for loss), a sack and a pass breakup vs. Louisville … added two tackles vs. No. 24 North Carolina … registered a sack among his two tackles in the Orange Bowl vs. No. 6 Tennessee.

2021: Third-team All-ACC selection despite being limited to four games … credited with 15 tackles (3.0 for loss), 1.5 sacks and an interception over 154 snaps in four games (all starts) … contributed seven tackles (one for loss) vs. No. 5 Georgia … added two tackles vs. SC State … recorded 2.0 tackles for loss, a career-high 1.5 sacks and his first career interception in sharing team defensive player of the game honors vs. Georgia Tech, sealing the game by hauling in a desperation forward lateral attempt on the Yellow Jackets’ final play … made two tackles at NC State prior to exiting the game with an injury.

2020: Credited with 33 tackles (6.5 for loss), 4.0 sacks, two pass breakups, a forced fumble and a safety in 432 snaps over 12 games (10 starts) as a true freshman … also recorded two snaps on offense in Clemson’s goal line jumbo package … along with fellow true freshmen Myles Murphy and Trenton Simpson, their four sacks each tied William Perry (4.0 in 1981), Ricky Sapp (4.0 in 2006) and Shaq Lawson (4.0 in 2013) for third-most sacks by a Clemson true freshman all-time … his four sacks were the most by a true freshman interior lineman in 2020, Clemson’s second straight season having the FBS leader among first-year defensive tackles in that category (Tyler Davis in 2019) … Freshman All-American according to The Athletic, ESPN and Rivals … ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year … first-team All-ACC honoree … also named first-team All-ACC by the AP … made impressive collegiate debut at Wake Forest, posting three tackles and a half-sack in addition to recording the Tigers’ first blocked field goal since the second week of 2018 … he and fellow true freshman Myles Murphy became the first Clemson first-year freshmen to record a sack in a season opener since Dexter Lawrence and Tre Lamar in 2016 … posted two tackles and a pass breakup in his first career start vs. The Citadel … recorded four tackles (two solo) with his first full sack and a pass breakup vs. Virginia … helped Clemson limit No. 7 Miami to 210 yards … had one tackle at Georgia Tech … recorded two tackles including a half-sack in which he forced a fumble that Andrew Booth Jr. returned 21 yards for a touchdown vs. Syracuse … recorded three tackles vs. Boston College, including a game-clinching sack when he forced an intentional grounding in the end zone for a safety to earn team defensive player of the game honors … registered five tackles (one for loss) at No. 4 Notre Dame … made two tackles vs. Pitt … added two tackles at Virginia Tech … made three tackles in ACC Championship Game vs. No. 2 Notre Dame … posted six tackles (2.5 for loss) including a sack vs. No. 3 Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl.

Before Clemson: Played for Eric Wallich at Damascus High School in Damascus, Md., where he concluded career with 134 career tackles, including 80.5 for loss, with 35 sacks … had 47 tackles in 2019, including 30.5 tackles for loss with 14 sacks while also adding two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup … helped team to 13-2 record and state championship as a senior … named first-team postseason All-American by Sports Illustrated … two-time first-team USA Today All-American in 2018 and 2019 … first-team Washington Post All-Met defensive lineman as a junior and senior … Maryland Defensive Player of the Year in 2018 … first-team MaxPreps Junior All-American defensive lineman in 2018 … Montgomery County 3A MVP in 2018 … Gatorade Player of the Year in Maryland as a junior in 2018 … had 36 tackles for loss, including 12 sacks, as a junior, earning first-team MaxPreps Sophomore All-America status in 2017 … Listed as the No. 1 overall player in the nation by 247Sports, which also called him the top defensive tackle in the nation and the top player in the state of Maryland … ranked as the top overall player in the nation by Rivals.com, the top defensive tackle and the top player in Maryland … ranked as the No. 2 player in the nation by PrepStar, the top defensive tackle in the nation and the top player in Maryland … rated as the No. 4 overall player in the nation by ESPN.com, which listed him as the No. 1 defensive tackle in the nation and top player in Maryland …  played basketball as a junior and averaged 13.7 points and 11.9 rebounds … selected to U.S. Army All-American Bowl … committed to Clemson on April 23, 2019 … recruited to Clemson by Todd Bates.

PERSONAL

Born Oct. 6, 2001 … sociology major … enrolled at Clemson in January 2020 … last name pronounced bruh-ZEE.

 

2022

defensive
TFL	QB HUR	TOT	TD	PD	SACKS	SOLO
5.5	1.0	13.0	0.0	1.0	3.5	8.0

2021

defensive
TFL	QB HUR	TOT	TD	PD	SACKS	SOLO
3.0	2.0	13.0	0.0	0.0	1.5	6.0

interceptions
TD	AVG	YDS	INT
0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0

2020

defensive
TFL	QB HUR	TOT	TD	PD	SACKS	SOLO
6.5	3.0	23.0	0.0	2.0	4.0	13.0