Bryan

Bresee

Bresee will undergo testing to confirm the diagnosis, but it’s safe to assume he is done for the year. He broke out with 7.5 sacks in 2024, but that number fell to 2.5 last year. Bresee is also a liability against the run, so his value largely comes from his production as an interior pass-rusher. The Saints picked up his fifth-year option this offseason, meaning he will remain with the team for the 2027 season before hitting free agency.

The former No. 29 overall pick tallied 4.5 sacks as a part-time player in 2023. He then upped that total to 7.5 in his second season while also playing more snaps. Bresee followed up the breakout campaign with just 2.5 sacks on 30 pressures last year. He also missed two games with a knee injury at the end of the season. Picking up his fifth-year option means the Saints are counting on a return to form for Bresee in the upcoming season.

Bresee suffered an injury in Week 16’s win over the Jets that will sideline him for at least one game. Moore didn’t rule out the possibility of Bresee playing in Week 18 against the Falcons to close out the season, but the third-year tackle will be on the sidelines this week. Bresee has totaled 37 tackles, five TFLs, and 2.5 sacks in the 15 games he has appeared in this season.

Bresee (6'5/300) has been among Clemson’s brightest shining players in the midst of what’s been a bit of a down period for the Tigers. The team should be optimistic about what he can do for them up front on the interior, something he’s already shown as he recorded a PFF pass rush grade of 81.2, 26 quarterback pressures and four sacks. PFF’s Connor Rogers currently has him pinned as the No. 3 interior defensive lineman in the country, while the network’s Trevor Sikkema has him even higher at No. 2, behind only Jalen Carter of Georgia.

Bresee (6'5/300) has been impressive in his own right despite some recent lackluster play from Clemson, which is why he’s garnered deserved recognition. Though he’s been set back by injury, his talent has still shown up on tape. Bresee was a 2021 All-ACC selection in the preseason, posting three tackles for a loss and 1.5 sacks in four games before he was sidelined last season. In 2020, Bresee had a PFF.com pass rush grade of 81.2 when he recorded 26 quarterback pressures and four sacks. He currently sits at No. 6 on Mike Renner of PFF’s Big Board, behind fellow Clemson Tiger Myles Murphy and ahead of LSU’s Kayshon Boutte.

Bresee (6'5/300) suffered a torn ACL in late September in Clemson’s 27-21 loss to NC State. Bresee’s injury wound up just being the beginning of what was an incredibly underwhelming season for the Tigers in 2021, but he appears to be on the come up this offseason. Bresee reportedly posted a video to his Twitter account of him in a leg brace, sprinting from cone-to-cone. Bresee was a 2021 All-ACC selection in the preseason, and had three tackles for a loss and 1.5 sacks in four games played before going down last season. In 2020, Bresee had a PFF.com pass rush grade of 81.2 when he recorded 26 quarterback pressures and four sacks.

Bresee (6'5/290) suffered the injury in the second half of Saturday’s 27-21 loss to NC State. This is devastating for Clemson on multiple fronts. Firstly, Bresee is one of the nation’s singularly best defensive talents. Secondly, Clemson is already without fellow starting DT Tyler Davis for the next two months with a bicep injury. The 2-2 Tigers are going to have serious interior depth issues until Davis’ return.

Bresee (6'5/290) arrived on campus considered by some recruiting analysts to be the top player in the Class of 2020, so it should come as no surprise that he’s listed so high on Clemson’s first depth chart of the season. And according to 247Sports’ Barton Simmons, the freshman defensive tackle has been “even better than advertised” in the eyes of the coaching staff. Another Clemson freshman defensive lineman to watch is DE Myles Murphy, who is listed second on the depth chart. Neither should lack for reps in Saturday’s opener.

Bresee (6'5/290) isn’t listed atop Clemson’s depth chart at defensive tackle, but the feeling is that he will compete for starting snaps. And it’s possible that the highly regarded freshman could be used at both tackle and end once the season begins. Bresee’s improvement with regard to the fundamentals hasn’t gone unnoticed, either. “He’s as advertised,” DC Brent Venables said after Saturday’s scrimmage. “He’s really made some improvement with his fundamentals from the spring. So he’s doing a lot of little things very well right now.”

Bresee, along with LSU TE Arik Gilbert, is viewed as the prized jewel of the 2020 recruiting class. Considering Clemson’s reputation for producing NFL defensive linemen and edge defenders, it is no wonder Bresee (6'5/290) ended up there. One Big Ten director of player personnel claims Bresee “moves like a defensive end at a defensive tackle’s size,” which is a terrifying nod to Bresee’s potential versatility when paired with a mastermind DC in Brent Venables. Clemson’s defensive line runs deep as is, but Bresee looks talented enough to crack the rotation in his first year on campus.