Clemson's Bryan Bresee Could Bring Violent, Resilient Approach To Saints Defensive Line

The Clemson defensive tackle is perseverance personified and if his medical flags are deemed manageable, he could be bringing his resilience to New Orleans next week.

The need for defensive tackle in this year’s New Orleans Saints NFL Draft class is well documented. Among positions like edge rusher, running back and along the offensive line, interior defender is an easy-to-identify spot that the team should be intent upon addressing next week. If he ends up falling far enough, Clemson defensive tackle Bryan Bresee would be a logical selection for the Saints at pick No. 29 in the first round.

Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson Ncaa Football Syracuse At Clemson; Credit:© Ken Ruinard / USA TODAY NETWOR

If you only look at the stat sheet, you might be a little confused as to why Bresee is widely considered a first-round prospect. There in-lies the issue with box score scouting. With only 51 combined tackles, 15 for a loss and 9 sacks throughout his three seasons with Clemson, it is reasonable to consider his production a little underwhelming.

Bresee was the No. 1 ranked high school recruit across the nation in his class, after all. So why is it that a player without elite levels of production has captured the eyes of many scouts, experts and analysts as a top-flight prospect? Context.

Evaluators of draft prospects look at much more than just a few raw numbers. They pay a ton of a attention to the player off the field as well. Off the field, Bresee is the epitome of perseverance. an ACL tear cut his 2021 season short after being selected as ACC defensive rookie of the year his freshman season in 2020. In September of 2022, his sister Ella lost her life to an aggressive form of brain cancer after a long 18-month battle.

Bresee would go on to play 10 games in 2022 playing through an unimaginable family loss and tragedy. He also had shoulder surgery and a kidney infection that sidelined him for a few games. That is an overwhelming amount of adversity through which Bresee put together his second-best season with 15 total tackles, 5.5 for a loss and 3.5 sacks.

Dec 30, 2022; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Clemson Tigers defensive tackle Bryan Bresee (11) sacks Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Joe Milton III (7) during the first half of the 2022 Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

The city of New Orleans knows a thing or two about resilience and perseverance. Both should matter when it comes to the evaluation of Bresee as a prospect.

What shines when it comes to the Clemson product is his ability as a pass rusher. His heavy and violent hands take opposing blockers by surprise and knocking them back on their heels. He is also a very disciplined player in terms of where his eyes shoot and remain throughout plays. 

For instance, when he is engaged by a blocker, instead of his eyes darting down to his one-on-one matchup, he is actively keeping track of how the play is developing in the backfield. The Saints defense has been noted consistently when it comes to issues with eye discipline, Bresee has been solid in that department.

He also does a great job handling double teams. Either by occupying two blockers to grant isolated opportunities for edge rushers or by simply fighting through them. No task proves to be too big for him. 

The places that he can improve are also encouraging, as they are coachable elements. Learning to better understand and utilize leverage and generating a more diverse approach off the snap will help him develop even further as a pass rusher while also helping to boost his value as a run stopper.

Bryan Breese | Clemson Tigers
Height | 6’5”
Weight | 305
Projected 40 time | 4.7

51 tackles | 15 tackles for loss | 9 sacks | 2 pass deflections

I believe Breese is still the phenom he was once out of HS but because of injuries & the loss of his sister 2022 - pic.twitter.com/eMF0bRE2ak

— CFBLIVE247™ (@CFBLive247_) January 18, 2023

There is no question when it comes to Bresee's athleticism, though. His 9.61 Relative Athletic Score is well over the threshold that seems to match the Saints' metrics in that category. At 6-foot-5 and 298 pounds at the NFL Scouting Combine, he ran a 4.86 40-yard dash which is undeniably impressive. That mark settled him in as the fourth-fastest time at his position. 

He waited until the Clemson Pro Day to participate in the shuttle and 3-cone drills. He timed out at 4.38 in the shuttle, which would have been the fastest time for a defensive tackle at the Combine. His 7.41 3-cone time would have been the fourth-fastest at his position. 

The biggest question teams will have to answer about Bresee will be relative to his health. The 2021 ACL tear and 2022 shoulder surgery will warrant caution from NFL clubs. But if they medical checks throughout the draft process have been clean, there should be nothing stopping him from being a potential first-round selection. And in the process, he checks a lot of boxes to be so for New Orleans.

Dec 3, 2022; Charlotte, NC, USA; Clemson Tigers defensive lineman Bryan Bresee (11) warms up with defensive lineman DeMonte Capehart (19) before the ACC Championship game against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Ruinard-USA TODAY NETWORK

If he is selected by the Saints, his fit is clear. While he has experience working from nose tackle out to taking snaps as a 5-tech run stopper (think Cameron Jordan his rookie season), his NFL projection is that of a 3-tech pass-rush penetrator. Lining him up between the opposing tackle and guard in passing situations will allow him to specialize where he has already proven to be so effective, getting after and disrupting the passer. 

New Orleans could further develop his play against the run. Keep in mind, Bresee is only 21-years old. But a Todd Grantham defensive line needs to be able to attack. Bresee can flat-out attack. But whether or not he can stay healthy will be the most important factor in his evaluation.