2023 NFL Draft: Could Clemson’s Bryan Bresee Be an Option for the Jaguars at No. 24?

The former top recruit could find himself available at No. 24. Should the Jaguars consider him if he is?

The 2023 NFL Draft season is upon us.

Among the 32 teams building their rosters to compete for the next Lombardi Trophy is the Jacksonville Jaguars, who hold nine picks in this season’s draft -- including the No. 24 overall pick.

As we march closer and closer to April’s draft, we will look at individual draft prospects and how they would potentially fit with the Jaguars. Instead of looking at any negatives, we are going to look at what the players do well and if they could match what the Jaguars need at the specific role or position.

Next up: Clemson defensive lineman Bryan Bresee. 

Overview

Bresee is used to seeing his name high on rankings: the Clemson star is a former No. 1 overall recruit and five-star recruit, listed by 247Sports as the No. 18 recruit in their history of rankings. In short, Bresee was a complete superstar as a recruit, having the type of blue-chip background that suggested a first-round tag has always been attached to his name. 

Bresee was offered by 35 programs, including Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Florida State, Florida, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, Oregon, USC, Tennessee, Texas A&M, and others before eventually committing to Clemson. 

Bresee was a star as a freshman, being named the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year and First-team All-ACC in 2020 after recording four sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss, two pass deflections, and a forced fumble. 

Bresee only played in four games in 2021 due to an ACL injury, but he was still such a force that he was named Third-Team All-ACC after 1.5 sack and three tackles for loss in limited action.

Bresee returned in 2022 and was named Second-Team All-ACC after he ended the season with 3.5 sacks, 5.5 tackles for loss and two pass deflections. 

What Bryan Bresee Does Well

Bresee jumps off the tape as an athlete, using a lighting-quick first-step to win off the snap no matter where Clemson deployed him. He has the frame, quickness and strength to play inside/outside for Clemson, even taking snaps at edge. When standing up over tackles, Bresee's best move was an inside swim immediately off the snap, with Bresee's burst providing him the advantage to win his fair share of battles. 

As an interior pass-rusher, Bresee is a force on stunts and slants. His quick footwork and overall twitchiness allows him to explode past blocks and even slip by them, squaring up at the line of scrimmage after getting under a zone block and penetrating into the backfield. He tracks the ball well for a player whose game is built on quickly detonating lines and blowing up runways, frequently finding the ball-carrier after winning his reps. 

Bresee can be a weapon against the run thanks to his pure suddenness and energy as a defender. He does a good job of attacking blocks with his hands to keep them out of his frame, while also showing some flashes of being able to take on double-teams and even two-gap despite not having dominating size. Breese's first step and overall range as a tackler make him a threat as a backside defender as well.

How Bryan Bresee Would Fit With the Jaguars

The Jaguars love deploying different types of interior defenders throughout the defensive line and Bresee would allow them to continue to have that flexibility. He played multiple positions for Clemson, lining up in the three-technique, as a nose tackle in the gape and head-up, as a 4i defender, and outside the tackle. The Jaguars made sure to use their versatile defensive linemen in mostly the same way, having players such as Arden Key, Dawuane Smoot and Roy Robertson-Harris all play snaps up and down the defensive line. 

Bresee is made in the mold of an impactful, versatile upfield pass-rusher, similar to Roy Robertson-Harris in some aspects. Bresee doesn't have the same frame and length, but he wins in many of the same ways, both against the run and pass. For a Jaguars team that needs to get better sack production from the entire front, but especially from the interior, Bresee makes sense as an on-field fit. 

The Jaguars' needs don't scream "defensive tackle at No. 24", but they have also been known to take best player available. Then again, some picks have been telegraphed. Their second pick last year was always going to be an off-ball linebacker, for example. While the Jaguars' latest moves have suggested they want to add to the secondary in 2023, there is a very real scenario where Bresee is on the board at No. 24 and is far and away the best player available, especially if a run on cornerbacks happen.

Verdict

Bresee is an interesting prospect to watch because there are a healthy mix of highs and lows. Which end of the development spectrum well he end up on? That will be decided in the coming years and where he lands will likely play a significant role. In this case, Bresee actually does make sense in terms of fit with the Jaguars and what they look for in defensive linemen. If there is a team Bresee could succeed with, it is fair to say the Jaguars just may be it. 

Are the impressive aspects of Bresee's game enough to warrant a selection at No. 24 overall? The combine will ultimately help make or break his case, but the tape says he is at least worthy of consideration if the Jaguars were to go best player available. In short, he makes sense. 

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• TE Darnell Washington, Georgia