Grading the Bryan Bresee Pick for the Saints

After the dust has settled from the events of last night's first round, it's time to grade the Saints pick of Bryan Bresee.

Last night saw the Saints staying put at 29th to take Clemson defensive tackle Bryan Bresee. After sleeping on things, what should we take away from the selection? Let's dig in a little deeper.

Bryan Bresee Meets With Saints Media: What Dennis Allen Said, Clemson Coaches Weigh In

Grading the Bryan Bresee Pick

The talent is unquestionably there, and as my colleague Ross Jackson went in depth on how he fits with the Saints - they can deploy them however they want. 

His best fit will, without a doubt, be displaying his attacking nature from the 3-tech defensive tackle position. But expect Bresee to move around the line, rush from multiple alignments every game and likely see a healthy amount of snaps early in his career. It may be tough to keep him off of the field at all if he matches his prowess as a pass-rusher with his run stopping ability at the next level.

Fans seem conflicted because the team passed on Georgia's Nolan Smith. The Bulldogs ran a 3-4 in college, and the Eagles will have to work on that. That's not saying the Saints couldn't have, but again, defensive tackle was the pressing need. Plus, they tried that whole thing with Zack Baun and it hasn't worked out at all.

Pitt's Calijah Kancey (Bucs) and Michigan's Mazi Smith (Cowboys) were already off the board, and the Saints didn't overthink this. He might not be the sexy pick everyone wanted, but he was one of the guys who had a first-round grade on him and was in the Saints' cloud of players from Jeff Ireland's formula. 

When the Saints have needed a stop on the defensive side of the ball in key situations, they've missed and lacked someone who can consistently disrupt the passer. Allen called Bresee well-rounded, and the fact that he can play all over the defensive line at multiple positions really makes sense for the defense. Essentially, he's someone who could wreak a lot of havoc on the opposing offensive line.

Now, let's talk about the elephant in the room. What's concerning for Bresee is the medicals. That's fair, but it also feels like it comes from a place of past draft scars for fans. This is an area where hopefully the extensive testing and checks the Saints conducted were thorough. Bresee said after the draft that he feels great, and he's coming into a situation where he'll undoubtedly be a rotational player.

The upside is there. The RAS fits in what the Saints like. Bresee has had an incredible journey dealing with adversity and is someone who is easy to root for. It's good to see New Orleans finally invest a draft pick in a defensive tackle, something they haven't done since 2016. Bresee will have to shed some criticism from fans who believe they took another medical risk, but the Saints got a player they loved and will use in a variety of ways and addressed a big position of need that will allow them to focus on others.

Draft Grade: B+

How Bryan Bresee fits in the Saints defense