MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – If Bryan Bresee had it to do all over again, Clemson’s star defensive lineman sounded like someone who would make the same decision.
“I wouldn’t change coming to Clemson for anything,” Bresee said. “From day one, I just knew this was the right place for me.”
Bresee’s words were soft as he spoke inside a dejected Clemson locker room at Hard Rock Stadium following Clemson’s 31-14 Orange Bowl loss to Tennessee late Friday night, but they were filled with gratitude. The 6-foot-5, 300-pounder said he’s thankful for the last three years as a member of the Tigers’ program and the support he’s had during that time.
“It was a tough year for me, but just having this team, the coaches and staff and just the Clemson family behind me through it all has made it easier on not only me but my family,” Bresee said. “Having my community back home and just a lot of people that go into just making you feel better, and this group has been nothing short of amazing at doing that. They’ve made it a lot easier coming back and continuing to play through all of this.”
The only question now: Is Bresee done playing for Clemson?
“I still don’t know yet,” Bresee said. “Still got to talk to my family, my coaches and a bunch of people around me and figure out what the best decision for me is moving forward. Just got a little time left before I decide on that.”
Bresee was a recruiting coup for Dabo Swinney and his program in 2020. The nation’s top high school prospect coming out of Damascus High near Washington, D.C., Bresee was always pegged as a three-and-out player that would likely head to the NFL after his junior season. A breakout freshman season only further fed into that belief.
Bresee was named a freshman All-American and ACC Defensive Newcomer of the Year three seasons ago. He’s continued to show flashes of how disruptive his combination of strength, quickness and explosiveness can be with 15 career tackles for loss and nine career sacks as an interior defensive lineman, though nothing about the last two seasons has been easy for him.
Bresee had his sophomore year cut short after tearing his ACL a month into that season. While spending much of the first half of this season working to regain his old form, Bresee was dealt a deeply personal blow when his younger sister, Ella, succumbed to brain cancer in September. A kidney infection also contributed to him missing four games this season.
“When I wasn’t feeling great, I don’t think I played up to my standard,” Bresee said. “But when I was feeling good and healthy, I think I did a pretty good job of leaving it all out there for this team. When I was feeling good, I did my best. And even when I wasn’t feeling good, I’d go out there and give it everything I had.”
Still, Bresee is widely projected to be a first-round pick in next year’s NFL Draft should he decide to forego his remaining eligibility at Clemson, so there’s certainly a chance Friday’s game was his last as a Tiger. What will be the primary factors for Bresee as he mulls things over?
“Just what I feel is right, No. 1,” he said. “And then the people around me, my family and the people I trust the most. Just sitting down, talking with them and talking through everything. That will kind of be what it comes down to for me.”
The deadline for players to declare for the draft is Jan. 16, so Bresee’s decision is coming sooner rather than later. But if the Orange Bowl was it for his collegiate career, he said his experience at Clemson has only justified the decision he made three years ago.
“Through all the stuff that I’ve gone through, it’s come true to me just seeing everything around me and all the people around me that have had my back,” Bresee said. “Even when there’s been a coaching switch, I can always count on Coach Swinney to bring in the right guy. (First-year defensive tackles coach Nick) Eason was awesome for us this year. Coach (Mickey) Conn. And Coach Wes (Goodwin) just coming in, he did a great job with us as well. So I’ve loved my time at Clemson. It’s been amazing.”