NFL Supplemental Draft: FS Brandon Bryant scouting report

By Dane Brugler, NFLDraftScout.com

The annual NFL Supplemental Draft will be held Wednesday, July 11, with this year's class featuring three draftable defensive backs.

We'll take a close look at each of these prospects -- Western Michigan cornerback Sam Beal, Mississippi State safety Brandon Bryant and Virginia Tech cornerback Adonis Alexander. Here is Bryant:

Brandon Bryant, FS, Mississippi State

6-0, 215, 4.55

Tunica, Miss. (Rosa Fort)

12/21/1995 (Age 22)

Projection: 6th Round-UDFA

Summary

Bryant, a three-year starter, was part of the safety rotation for the Bulldogs, mostly lining up between the hashes as a free safety, mirroring the quarterback or slot receiver pre-snap. He showed intriguing promise as a redshirt freshman, but his production declined in each of his last two seasons in Starkville, including career-lows in starts (seven) and tackles (32) in 2017.

Bryant has an impressive athletic profile for a safety, with balanced hips and change of direction skills. He has terrific speed, but it is often negated by his below-average anticipation and awareness; his tape shows minimal impact plays outside the hashes. Bryant also battled adversity throughout his collegiate career, and NFL teams will question whether he has the maturity and thick skin required for the pro level.

Overall, Bryant has NFL-level athleticism and his blend of speed and toughness will allow him to compete for a role on special teams. However, his lack of football instincts hurt his ability to sniff out plays, and the mental hurdles could prove to be too much for him to push for on-field defensive reps.

Scouting Report

Strengths: Moves very well for a safety with twitchy athleticism. Smooth pedal and balanced hips aid his ease of movement. Owns the straight-line speed of a cornerback. Controls his throttle in his cuts, accelerating quickly off his plant foot. Competes with toughness and isn't shy removing receivers from their feet mid-route. Doesn't use proper technique, but admirably fights through blocks to be a factor vs. the run. Enjoys throwing his body around and is a solid open-field tackler.

Weaknesses: Marginal instincts. Struggles with route combinations and often caught in no man's land. Late to read or anticipate with poor backfield vision. Hooked on underneath action and late to recover over the top. Bites on receiver fakes or hesitation, leading to big plays for the offense (Ole Miss receiver A.J. Brown victimized him with a double-move out of the slot, which resulted in a 77-yard touchdown reception in the 2017 edition of the Egg Bowl).

Below-average ball production with only 12 career passes defended. Doesn't effectively use his hands to take on blockers, preferring to lean his shoulder into his target. Inconsistent results when attempting to tackle in motion, arriving too hot and not properly breaking down in space, especially on screens. Struggled to live up to expectations after his productive freshman season, almost quitting football because of the pressure. Arrested for DUI and open container (January 2017).

Background

A three-star recruit out of high school, Brandon Bryant was a two-way player at Rosa Fort, leading the team to a 11-2 record and region title his senior year in 2013. On offense, he did a little bit of everything with 257 yards passing, 759 yards rushing and 221 yards receiving as a senior, adding 15 total touchdowns. On defense at safety, Bryant tallied 31 tackles, five passes defended, two interceptions and two forced fumbles, adding a 91-yard kick return for a touchdown on special teams. He was also a standout in track with personal-bests of 10.83 seconds in the 100 meters and 22.15 seconds in the 200.

Considered a top-10 recruit in the state of Mississippi, Bryant initially committed to Southern Miss, but flipped to Mississippi State (as a safety) once the SEC program offered during his senior season. After redshirting in 2014, he earned his way onto the field as a redshirt freshman, starting the final eight games of 2015 and posting a team-high three interceptions. Bryant and his family suffered heartbreak in December 2015 when his father passed away in a motorcycle accident. That tragic loss and lofty expectations in 2016 led Bryant to almost leaving the sport as he battled through a streaky sophomore season, losing his starting job.

Under new safeties coach Ron English, Bryant showed flashes of his freshman promise as a junior in 2017 as he was an impactful part of the Bulldogs' safety rotation. He finished with 32 tackles, three passes defended and one interception over seven starts. Bryant was expected to be a starter as a senior, but he sat out 2018 spring practice due to academic issues and later announced that he would be leaving the program. After considering a transfer, he applied for the NFL Supplemental Draft.

NFL Comparison: Armani Watts (with below average football instincts).

SUPPLEMENTAL DRAFT

The supplemental draft is carried out via e-mail among teams and is not televised. The selection order is different as well.

The teams are slotted into three groups based on their win/loss percentage the previous year and are then placed in a lottery, with the official order not being released to the public.

Teams interested in selecting a player contact the league via email with a list of the prospects they would draft and the round in which they would take them. If a team uses a third-round pick, for example, then it forfeits its third-round pick in the next draft.

The supplemental draft was originally created for players who had lost their eligibility between the primary NFL Draft in April and the beginning of the next season.

More on the history of the supplemental draft here.