Why Clemson football's Bryan Bresee to NFL Draft may trigger defensive line departures
Bryan Bresee had to go, and it could set off a mass exodus from Clemson football’s defensive line to the NFL.
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney hinted before the Orange Bowl that at least a couple of draft prospects on the defensive line had decided to come back for one more season, but he wasn’t naming names. It’s hard to imagine who those might be now that the Tigers have suffered a disappointing 31-14 loss to Tennessee.
Defensive end Myles Murphy opted out of the Orange Bowl and linebacker Trenton Simpson, recovering from injury, said he is also turning pro. They joined offensive lineman Jordan McFadden from Spartanburg (Dorman) and tight end Davis Allen to leave with remaining eligibility.
College players have until Jan. 16 to declare for the NFL Draft, which is April 27-29 in Kansas City.
Bresee played in the Orange Bowl to be there for his teammates who were there for him through the death of his younger sister. But it was also to show he was in his best condition of a season marred with tragedy and illness.
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“I’m just focused on this game and I’ll worry about (the NFL draft) when the season is over,” Bresee said two days before the Orange Bowl. “Going into this game is the best I've felt all year.”
As it turns out, Bresee didn’t need to play in the Orange Bowl or maybe any game all season. Despite a statistically disappointing 15 tackles in 10 games, he never fell out of first-round draft projections. Bresee is No. 2 on ESPN’s big board of defensive tackles. Some predictions have him going as high as No. 5 or No. 6 overall.
Defensive end KJ Henry and defensive tackle Tyler Davis have joked on social media and in person that they might come back. Davis is No. 10 at his position and Henry is No. 13. They are as NFL-ready as they could ever be after another season. Davis has played four seasons and Henry five. They could take advantage of the extra year granted by the NCAA for the 2020 COVID season.
Ruke Orhorhoro, who shared the defensive tackle position with Bresee and Davis, could return and perhaps vault himself into a first-round pick. Orhorhoro showed there was not much drop-off, if any, with him in the game. He’s No. 18 on the big board, but it’s easy to see an NFL team being more excited about him than any mock drafts have shown. They might love to get their hands on a guy who played only two years of high school football and never got the spotlight in college.
Defensive end Xavier Thomas? Maybe. He’s a graduate student who would lift himself the most in an extra year. Thomas missed the first five games in 2022 because of a foot injury and hurt it again in early November. In between, in a game against Boston College, he played six snaps and was still ACC defensive lineman of the week with two sacks, a forced fumble and another quarterback hit.
Thomas was the nation’s No. 3 player (all positions) by 247Sports for the class of 2018. If he doesn’t get drafted, Thomas would still get a chance for an NFL team as a free agent. He played only seven games in 2020 because of COVID and complications.
But as Bresee has shown, stats mean nothing compared to potential in the eyes of NFL scouts.
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Bryan Bresee may start defensive departures from Clemson to NFL Draft
