Wearing pink shirts that proudly displayed "Ella Strong" on the front, Clemson defensive tackle Bryan Bresee and his family shed tears and embraced one another in their Maryland home as NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced his name.
"It's been a lifelong dream of mine to play in the NFL," Bresee said Thursday night on a conference call with New Orleans media. "Getting that call has been a moment that I've definitely always looked forward to, and to get a call from the Saints was something you can't even imagine until it happens."
The New Orleans Saints selected Bresee with the 29th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
The Damascus, Md., native possesses NFL size, standing at 6 feet 5, 305 pounds. He's explosive, boasting an impressive combination of length (32.5-inch arms) and speed (4.86 40-yard dash). Bresee showed off his strength at Clemon's pro day, putting up 28 reps on the bench press.
He's also versatile — Bresee has the ability to line up at multiple spots on the interior of the defensive line and even outside the tackles if needed. Clemson showed a lot of different defensive looks, and Bresee said the Tigers ran just about everything because they switched up schemes almost every week depending on the opponent.
"This player is an exceptional talent," Saints Coach Dennis Allen said. "He's big, he's physical, he's athletic, he fills a position of need and I think he's going to be an outstanding addition to our team."
Bresee said the Saints are getting a player who is going to work hard every single day and do everything he needs to do to earn the respect of the players and coaches in the building.
The former Tiger should help fill the hole on the defensive line left by the departures of David Onyemata and Marcus Davenport in free agency. Per Pro Football Focus, Bresee boasted an 82.0 pass-rush grade, 24 pressures and 17 hurries in 2022. He dominated the North Carolina Tar Heels in the ACC Conference Championship, posting a 91.2 defensive grade and five pressures.
New Orleans met with Bresee at the combine and visited with him at Clemson, putting him through a workout and spending an evening with him and other Clemson players at the Palm Meadow Smokehouse. Allen said the defensive tackle did an outstanding job with everything the Saints put him through, both from a physical and mental standpoint. He said Bresee is the type of person the Saints want in their building.
"His athleticism and size is pretty impressive," Allen said. "His movement skills inside, they used him a lot on the move at Clemson. His ability to move and penetrate is something that we like."
Bresee came into Clemson with lofty expectations as the No. 1 recruit in the country. He quickly showed why with the Tigers, being named Freshman All-American and ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2020.
He dealt with injuries as a sophomore, suffering a torn ACL four games into 2021 and getting shoulder surgery in the ensuing offseason. Despite this, Bresee compiled 64 tackles, nine sacks, four pass breakups, an interception, a forced fumble and a safety in 26 games at Clemson.
Bresee also dealt with personal tragedy while at Clemson: His sister Ella died from brain cancer at the age of 15 in September 2022.
"This guy went through a lot, and that's challenging to have to go through," Allen said. "He's shown a lot of fortitude in his ability to overcome adversity."
The Clemson product said he's become a more mature person due to the adversity he's had to overcome.
"I've gone through a lot… a lot of things that make you grow up very quickly," Bresee said. "Just a lot of things that mature you pretty fast and a lot of people don't go through them and should never have to go through them."
Bresee said his sister would be glowing right now watching her big brother get drafted.
"She loved watching me play, she loved being around just the atmosphere of football," Bresee said.
Bresee watched the draft with his parents, two sisters, brother in law and his grandmother from his couch in Maryland. While he said it was emotional knowing how much Ella would've enjoyed the moment, he said she serves as his motivation ever since she started her fight.
"Watching her battle every single day and always keep a smile on her face and just stay so positive through all that was amazing to see," Bresee said. "It makes me think whatever I'm going through is not even as close to as hard as what she was battling every day."
Check out photos of New Orleans Saints 2023 NFL Draft first round selection Bryan Bresee, defensive tackle out of Clemson who was selected with the 29th pick.
A graphic featuring Clemson defensive lineman Bryan Bresee is displayed during the 2023 NFL Draft on Thursday, April 27, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Aaron Doster/NFL)
FILE - In this Jan. 1, 2021, file photo, Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields is sacked by Clemson defensive lineman Bryan Bresee during the second half of the Sugar Bowl NCAA college football game in New Orleans. Bresee was selected to The Associated Press Preseason All-America first team defense, Monday Aug. 23, 2021. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)
Clemson defensive tackle Bryan Bresee (11) warms up before an NCAA college football game against Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, N.C., Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
Clemson defensive tackle Bryan Bresee (11) warms up before an NCAA college football game against Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, N.C., Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
Clemson defensive tackle Bryan Bresee (11) runs onto the field before an NCAA college football game against Syracuse on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022, in Clemson, S.C. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)
Clemson defensive tackle Bryan Bresee looks on before an NCAA college football game against North Carolina State Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022, in Clemson, S.C. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)
Clemson's Bryan Bresee (11) rushes during the first half of an NCAA football game against Georgia Tech on Monday, Sept. 5, 2022, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis (13) narrowly escapes the grasp of Clemson defensive tackle Bryan Bresee (11) near the goal line during the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022, in Tallahassee, Fla. Clemson won 34-28. (AP Photo/Phil Sears)
Clemson defensive tackle Bryan Bresee (11) runs onto the field at the start of an NCAA college football game against Syracuse on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022, in Clemson, S.C. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)
Clemson Tigers defensive tackle Bryan Bresee (11) looks on during warm ups before an NCAA college football game against the Furman Paladins in Clemson, S.C., Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)
Clemson defensive tackle Bryan Bresee (11) plays against North Carolina during the Atlantic Coast Conference championship NCAA college football game on Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)
Clemson defensive lineman Bryan Bresee runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, March 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Domata Peko, left, and Clemson defensive lineman Bryan Bresee on the sideline at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, March 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Clemson defensive lineman Bryan Bresee runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, March 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Clemson defensive lineman Bryan Bresee runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, March 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Clemson defensive lineman Bryan Bresee runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, March 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Clemson defensive lineman Bryan Bresee runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, March 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Clemson defensive lineman Bryan Bresee warms up during the 2023 Scouting Combine on Thursday, March 2, 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Ben Liebenberg via AP)
Clemson defensive lineman Bryan Bresee runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, March 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Clemson defensive lineman Bryan Bresee runs the 40-yard dash during the 2023 Scouting Combine on Thursday, March 2, 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Ben Liebenberg via AP)
Clemson defensive lineman Bryan Bresee runs the 40-yard dash during the 2023 Scouting Combine on Thursday, March 2, 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Ben Liebenberg via AP)
Clemson defensive lineman Bryan Bresee runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, March 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Clemson defensive lineman Bryan Bresee runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, March 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Former Clemson defensive tackle Bryan Bresee warms up on the bench press during Clemson's pro day Tuesday, March 14, 2023, in Clemson, S.C. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Former Clemson football defensive tackle Bryan Bresee runs a drill during Clemson's pro day Tuesday, March 14, 2023, in Clemson, S.C. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Clemson defensive lineman Bryan Bresee speaks during a press conference on Wednesday, March 1, 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Ben Liebenberg via AP)
Former Clemson football defensive tackle Bryan Bresee runs a drill during Clemson's pro day Tuesday, March 14, 2023, in Clemson, S.C. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Clemson defensive lineman Bryan Bresee looks on during the 2023 Scouting Combine on Thursday, March 2, 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Ben Liebenberg via AP)
Clemson defensive lineman Bryan Bresee looks on during the 2023 Scouting Combine on Thursday, March 2, 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Ben Liebenberg via AP)
