3 new first round targets for the Cowboys after free agency moves
2. Bryan Bresee, DL, Clemson
Free agency started last week and the Cowboys have filled a lot of holes on their roster. But the one position that Dallas hasn’t addressed yet is the interior defensive line.
As it stands now, the Cowboys only have three defensive tackles on their roster: Osa Odighizuwa, Quinton Bohanna, and Neville Gallimore. Dallas will probably re-sign a few veterans at that position like Carlos Watkins and Johnathan Hankins as well.
It would be a shock for the Cowboys to select a DT in the first round because they haven’t done that since 1991. They also drafted defensive tackle Trysten Hill in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft and that didn’t exactly pan out.
It’s evident that the Cowboys don’t value taking defensive tackles early in drafts, but it’s definitely a position of need for Dallas. Selecting Bryan Bresee out of Clemson would be the best selection at pick 26.
Bresee comes in at 6-foot-5, 300 pounds, and would be a solid addition to clog up the middle for the Cowboys. He had 51 tackles through his three seasons at Clemson with 15 tackles for loss and nine sacks.
Bryan Bresee forces the safety!
— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) October 31, 2020
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In the 2022 season, Bresee finished the year with 5.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, four quarterback hits, and 17 quarterback hits. He’s an explosive defensive tackle that can win a lot of one on one battles in the middle.
He also ran a 4.86 40-time at the NFL Combine a couple of weeks ago, which was the fourth-best time at his position.
The one glaring problem with Bresee though is his injury history. In his college career, he’s missed games due to an ACL tear, a shoulder injury, and a kidney infection. That could hurt his draft stock a little bit, but the talent is surely there.
Bresee was the number one high school player in the 2020 class. He was ranked higher than players like Bryce Young, Bijan Robinson, Jalen Carter, and Will Anderson Jr. But the injuries hurt his college development.
Entering the NFL Draft at 21 years old, Bresee is still extremely young and could learn under Dan Quinn. He would not only fill a team need, but he’s a talented DT that could help the Cowboys win games.
ESPN ranks Bresee as the second-best defensive tackle and the 28th-best prospect in the 2023 NFL Draft class.