@Cowboysrock55 @boozeman
Because you guys got so fucking mouthy about it.
I'm just going to ignore the off field/health stuff with Bresee because there's no way of knowing what the deal is there. He missed most of 2021 with an ACL and was in and out of the lineup this past year with random things, not to mention his sister dying during the season as well.
With all that said, from a pure statistical perspective the guy put up 5.5 TFL and 3.5 sacks in 10 games, compare that to Jalen Carter who put up 7/3 in 13 games. For their careers Bresee has 15 TFL and 9 sacks over 25 games, Carter has 18.5 and 6 over 35. If you prorate that production over 35 games you're at 21 TFL and 12 sacks.
But maybe that's just because of Georgia's scheme?
Well Kancey put up 34.5 TFL and 16 sacks over 33 games, if you prorate Bresee's production over the same number of games that's 20 TFL and 12 sacks.
Not significantly different considering one guy is 6-1, 280 and the other has prototypical size at 6-5, 300.
But the stats are one thing, the tape is another, I just wanted to make the point that he's not some sort of dud statistically.
Given that he was coming off an ACL and in and out of the lineup all year I decided to watch his last two games at Clemson (ACC Championship vs. UNC and their bowl game against Tennesee) to get the best sense of who the guy is right now.
Let me first say that he was only playing around 25-30 snaps in each game, presumably because he missed so much time and was on the precipice of going to the NFL. He's clearly better rushing the passer than playing the run but it's hard to tell whether or not that's just because they tended to use him more in clear passing situations at this point in time. Either way, he at least has the size to develop into a decent interior run defender whereas someone like Kancey will probably never be able to line up on the interior on 3rd and 2.
At any rate, here we go:
Tennessee:
1st Q
14:37 - clean crossface vs. 58-D. Wright with a rip that leaves him bending at the waist, then fights through the RG to pressure the QB, in the NFL this would likely be counted as a QB hit
8:58 - holds the POA and stands up an RG/RT DBL (including Wright) and forces the RB to run into the back of his linemen
8:35 - beats 58-D. Wright clean to the inside with a rip, this would've been counted as a QB hit in the NFL
6:17 - beats 58-D. Wright clean with a swim to the inside, Wright is left diving at air because he was beat so cleanly and as he's going to the ground he wraps his arm around Bresee's waist for what should've been a holding penalty
2nd Q
14:08 - fights through both the RG and the RT as he's crashing on a stunt/twist game for a sack, a bit of a coverage sack but this pressure isn't even designed for him to be the one getting to the QB and the ability to keep his balance/feet under him through contact, along with the burst to accelerate through the pocket with trash around him in a tight space is impressive and not something that is easy to find in a 300+ lb. guy
3rd Q
10:26 - beats the RG off the snap for a clean pressure, forces the QB out of the pocket and into scramble mode in under 2 seconds
7:00 - forces the RG into a holding penalty
6:31 - beats the RG clean with a swim, gets held around the waist that goes uncalled again
4th Q
9:28 - holds the POA and stands up 58-D.Wright on a run to his side
That's a solid 5-6 impact plays in only about 25 or so plays against a high-level opponent and a guy in Darnell Wright who is probably going to be a first rounder and no worse than a top 40 pick in about 6 weeks.
UNC:
1st Q
None
2nd Q
9:30 - beats 72-A.Richards cleanly with an inside swim, likely counted as a QB hit in the NFL
3rd Q
12:54 - beats the RT with a bit of a push/pull and slight rip, his jersey gets tugged for what should've been a hold but again, this would've been a QB hit in the NFL, it's maybe a little bit of a coverage play but he gets to the QB in ~3 seconds which is about the threshold within which you want to get pressure
12:47 - murders the RT with an inside spin, likely another QB hit
5:05 - beats the RG to the inside right off the snap and forces a hurried throw in about 2 seconds or less
:42 - absorbs 2 blockers and what amounts to a DBL on an inside zone without giving up ground and causes a pileup in the middle of the field, ruining the play
4th Q
11:39 - kills the center right off the snap with a chop to the shoulder+rip that forces the QB off his spot in under 2 seconds, the play immediately turns into a scramble drill
Again, we're only talking about 25 or so plays here and yet we're getting 4-5 impact plays, including one against a guy in Asim Richards who was 3rd team All-ACC, a Combine invite and a guy who will likely at least be on a practice squad in about 6 months.
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Over about 50 plays against two high quality opponents, including OL who will be in the NFL next year, you're getting about 8-10 impact plays including a sack and at least 3-4 if not 5-6 QB hits, along with a couple solid plays against the run. For reference, if you're getting 3-4 QB hits per 50-60 snaps in the NFL you're going to be in the top 2-3 in the entire league.
Now, there are some things I definitely don't like. The guy seems to play like a DE in a DT's body in terms of wanting to get upfield first and foremost, which I think is a function of how he played in HS, and his pad level is really bad so he often loses leverage battles when he doesn't win with his burst off the snap, but all of that could also be because he was primarily used in pass-rushing situations in those games.
With all that said, the upfield burst/penetration and pass rush plan/counters shown in just these few snaps is rare to see out of a 300 lb. prospect, particularly when they're being deployed against OT's and high caliber ones at that. You just don't see guys this size beating first round OT's by crossing their face to the inside with quickness or whipping them with swims and spins to the point that they're lunging at air, it reminds me of how KC uses Chris Jones by kicking him out to DE at times despite the fact that you never see guys that size moving outside.
Of course there is risk in terms of the health stuff but if you want someone who can be an impact DT while also bringing prototypical size that projects to having the potential to be a complete player who can rush the passer and hold up reasonably well against the run, Bresee is about as close as you'll ever get at the end of the first round.
I think he brings more juice as a pass-rusher than any 1st round DT over the last few years, aside from Kancey of course, who I'd also be fine with at 26. Ultimately I'd be surprised if we took him with only 32.5 inch arms (Carter has 33.5 inch arms and Jones is at 34.5) but I think that would be short-sighted, just like it would be with Kancey who has sub-31 inches.
For reference, Chris Jones put up 18 TFL and 8.5 sacks over 38 college games.
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