Pros, cons of New Orleans Saints taking Clemson football’s Bryan Bresee in 2023 NFL Draft
Clemson football’s Bryan Bresee was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft on Thursday.
Bresee was selected No. 29 overall. He became Clemson's second player chosen in this year's draft, joining defensive end Myles Murphy. He is the Tigers' 17th first-round pick since coach Dabo Swinney was named head coach before the 2009 season.
Bresee played his final season at Clemson through the loss of his sister, Ella, who died of brain cancer on Sep. 15, 2022, at age 15. Clemson honored Ella throughout the season, and the Bresee family's story became well-known in the college football world.
Bresee came to Clemson from Damascus, Maryland, as the No. 1 recruit in the class of 2020. He burst onto the scene as a freshman, earning ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year honors, but was limited with injuries in the next two seasons.
Here's what the Saints are getting with their newest defensive tackle.
The positives
At 6-foot-5 and 298 pounds, Bresee possesses the size and strength to excel in the NFL. Draft analysts love his explosiveness and ability to handle multiple blockers.
His most productive season was his freshman year, when he had four sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss. After a sophomore season cut short by injury, Bresee had 3.5 sacks, nine tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss in his 10 games as a junior last season.
The concerns
Bresee hasn't played at full strength since that freshman season in 2020. As a sophomore, he missed all but four games with an ACL tear and had shoulder surgery in the offseason. Some analysts have expressed concern with Bresee's durability, and his college statistics aren't dazzling thanks in part to the time he missed with injuries.
Final thoughts
Bresee is a physically gifted defensive tackle who projects as an eventual NFL starter. There are concerns with his ability to stay healthy, as well as with some aspects of his pass rush technique. If he avoids serious injury, Bresee has the athleticism and versatility to develop quickly into an excellent pass rusher and run defender.
Christina Long covers the Clemson Tigers for the Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. You can follow her on Twitter @christinalong00 or email her at clong@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: New Orleans Saints pick Clemson’s Bryan Bresee in 2023 NFL Draft
