2023 Jaguars Combine: Clemson DL Bryan Bresee says it'd be 'great' to reunite with Lawrence

One of the NFL Draft's most intriguing prospects, former Clemson defensive lineman Bryan Bresee raised eyebrows at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine on Thursday, performing well in some portions of athletic testing.

Bresee, who declared for the draft as a true junior, is expected to be selected within the first two rounds in April. Nearly all players meet with all 32 teams at the Combine and Bresee and the Jaguars are no different. It wouldn't be surprising if he is one of the players they're looking to target this year.

Bresee, at 6-foot-5 and 298 pounds, ran the 40-yard dash in just 4.86 seconds Thursday. That included a 10-yard split time of 1.71 seconds, which measures an athlete's explosion off the line of scrimmage.

He jumped 29 inches in the vertical jump and had 22 reps on the bench press of 225 pounds. Bresee did not perform the agility drills: broad jump, three-cone drill and 20-yard shuttle.

More Jaguars coverage:

Tagged:Jaguars expected to place franchise tag on TE Evan Engram ahead of free agency

A matter of time:Jaguars uncertain when WR Calvin Ridley will be reinstated, Pederson looks forward to return

Oof:Jaguars earn scathing review from first-ever NFLPA report card, 'no shortage of complaints'

In 28 games played at Clemson, Bresee accounted for 51 tackles, nine sacks and 15 tackles for loss. He played just four games during his sophomore year in 2021 after tearing his ACL early in the season.

Of course, Bresee already has a connection with the Jaguars in another way. Former teammates, quarterback Trevor Lawrence and running back Travis Etienne, played with the defensive lineman while they were at Clemson in 2020.

Though Bresee was just a freshman, he said at the Combine on Wednesday that he would love to play with Lawrence again, noting his leadership ability.

"Trevor's a great, great leader, was a great guy to have in the locker room and then obviously a phenomenal player," Bresee said Wednesday. "I think all of us who played with him and had been around him expected him to do as well as he's doing. So no surprise, no surprise there with him. He's a great leader and a great player."

Lawrence made a big jump during his second season in the league last year. The franchise QB completed 66.3 percent of his passes for 4,113 yards, 25 touchdowns and just eight interceptions, leading his team to an AFC South title and the AFC Divisional Round of the playoffs.

When asked about a potential reunion, the prospective first-round pick cracked a smile and said it would be "great" to reunite with the Jaguars' signal-caller.

"That'd be great. Like you said, I only got a year with Trevor. So, I wouldn't mind going back and having him as my quarterback," he explained.

The Jaguars should be in the market for a defensive lineman, but it remains to be seen whether or not the club would opt to take one in the first round. Jacksonville recently re-signed DL Roy Robertson-Harris to a three-year deal and signed DL Foley Fatukasi during free agency just a year ago.

Still, the team could be losing both linemen Dawaune Smoot and Arden Key via free agency, which could give them an opportunity to upgrade the position during the draft.

Demetrius Harvey is the Jacksonville Jaguars reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on Twitter at @Demetrius82.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Bryan Bresee: It'd be 'great' to play with ex-Clemson teammate Trevor Lawrence