As the NFL season winds down, FantasyPros will be taking a look at early NFL draft scouting reports before the combine in March. Here’s a look at Bryan Bresee.
Check out all of our 2023 NFL Draft Scouting Reports & Prospect Profiles 
6’5″ – 300 lbs.
Background:
The top overall recruit in the class of 2020, he immediately stepped into a major role as a freshman, playing 430 snaps and starting all but two games. That year, he put together a line of 23-6.5-4.0 with 19 stops (PFF) but ended up tearing his ACL four games into 2021, limiting him to 152 snaps and a 12-3.0-1.5 line with seven stops. Was limited to 10 games and just 330 snaps this past year by a “non-football medical issue” and an off-the-field tragedy (sister Ella died from brain cancer this past season.)
Positives:
Big, physically and athletically dominant defensive tackle who carries his weight very well. Was asked to play different techniques (most often as a one-technique left defensive tackle.) Plays the game with a high level of physicality and intensity. Anticipates the snap count and fires out low with explosiveness. Has enough quickness out of his stance to get through gaps and create disruption in the backfield. Has instincts/recognition skills beyond his years and seemingly always flows quickly toward the play once the ball is snapped. Contact balance is excellent; never looks too out of control. Usually gets very good extension to lock out blockers and locate the football. Has heavy hands to ragdoll opponents at the right moment but can also win with quickness. Sifts through congestion easily. Recognizes some cutback lanes and can put himself in a position to make a stop. Closes quickly and offers a large tackling radius. Often drew extra attention from opponents, even on a deep defense, and can anchor at the line of scrimmage against double teams. Can shuffle or twist and jolt opponents on contact with his hands (a primary means by which Clemson generates pressure); lateral quickness is very good for his size. Excellent closing speed once he finds a lane. Also has a violent bull rush with active feet to collapse the pocket on passing downs.
Negatives:
Didn’t have the junior season many were hoping for. A little taller than some teams may like their nose tackles to be and doesn’t have as much tape as a five-technique. Rotated out of the game fairly often, in part due to Clemson’s deep rotation on the line. Can be overly reliant on his strength instead of bending at the knees and getting low in the leverage battle. Some plays in which he throws his body around instead of using his arms/hands. Intensity is mostly limited to playing between the tackles, and doesn’t offer the same relentless pursuit once the play gets out near the sidelines. Torn ACL raises medical issues that could end up affecting his draft stock.
Summary:
Offers a shocking combination of intensity, explosiveness, power and play-recognition skills, which could make him one of the top defensive players off the board in this year’s class, assuming his knee checks out during the pre-draft process. Projects as an every-down lineman who would fit equally well in a one-gap or two-gap front; the former may be a slightly better fit, given his ability to recognize plays and use his quickness/explosiveness to create chaos in the backfield. Deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as the great defensive tackle prospects in recent drafts.
Grade: Round 1
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