Bryan Bresee recovers a fumble against LA Chargers in preseason

Former Clemson star Bryan Bresee has been a dominant force on every level of football he’s played on thus far. On Sunday evening, he showed the New Orleans Saints exactly why they decided to take a chance on him late in the first round of this year’s NFL Draft. After Chargers quarterback Easton Stick fumbled, Bresee wasted little time in pouncing on the rock deep in the backfield.

Check out the impressive fumble recovery here.

.@Bryan_bresee with the fumble recovery‼️ pic.twitter.com/LMRS7Dgkz4

— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) August 20, 2023

He’d been getting first team reps with the Saints’ defensive line in fall camp. So, it’s not surprising to see that carry over to the actual games. He just needs to stay healthy. Bresee battled numerous injuries throughout his college career with the Clemson Tigers. But if he can stay on the field, there’s no question that the 6-5, 300-pounder is oozing with a jaw-dropping amount of potential and talent.

Bresee impressing with the New Orleans Saints

Bresee’s quickness was on full display before the draft. At the NFL Scouting Combine, he posted a 4.93-second 40-yard dash, which ranked in the top five among defensive tackles.

Clemson head coach Dabo Sweeney was thrilled for his former star after the draft.

“Bryan is a guy that could be a Pro Bowler for years to come,” Swinney said. “He has that in him. And I’m just excited for the Saints because his best football is in front of him. He’s really gotten himself healthy, but this kid has been through so much.”

Bresee arrived at Clemson and had an immediate impact as a true freshman despite the challenges brought on by COVID-19 in 2020. He started 10 games and racking up 33 tackles, four sacks, a forced fumble and a safety.

He earned first-team All-ACC honors and the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year award.

Despite being limited to just four games in 2021 due to injury, Bresee earned a third-team All-ACC selection. He tallied 15 tackles, 1.5 sacks and an interception on just 154 snaps.

This past season, Bresee finished with 15 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks in ten games. He also had two passes defended before declaring for the 2023 NFL Draft.

Coming out of high school, he was one of the most decorated prospects ever to come out of the state of Maryland. He earned Gatorade Player of the Year honors in 2018. According to the On3 Industry Rankings for the 2020 cycle, Bresee was ranked as the No. 1 overall prospect in the country for that cycle.

On3’s Nikki Chavanelle also contributed to this article.