Nation's top prospect commits, Clemson moves to No. 1 in rankings

Bryan Bresee is a second five-star addition to the 2020 Clemson defense this month.

by Brandon Rink - Staff Writer - Tuesday, April 23, 2019, 2:50 PM

Bryan Bresee - Defensive Tackle
TigerNet: (5.00)

Height: 6-5 Weight: 290 Hometown: Damascus, MD (Damascus HS) Class: 2020

ESPN:

#3 Overall, #1 DT, #1 MD

Rivals:

#1 Overall, #1 DT, #1 MD

24/7:

# 3 Overall, # 1 DT, # 1 MD

The nation’s top-ranked player is now a Tiger and Clemson, in turn, now has the No. 1-rated class in college football.

Damascus, Maryland defensive lineman Bryan Bresee, who holds No. 1 ratings as both a defensive end and tackle, committed to Clemson on Tuesday. That moved up the Tigers’ 247Sports Composite ranking past LSU and then previous No. 1 Alabama by .01 in rating.

Clemson, which now has 12 pledges for 2020, already held the top average rating per commitment going into Tuesday on both Rivals and 247Sports.

Bresee visited for the spring game weekend, as well as Elite Junior Day in January and the South Carolina game in November. Before the spring game, he had visits scheduled for Oklahoma and Alabama previously that he canceled.

"Just the fit that I feel at the school and how comfortable I am," Bresee said of what made Clemson his selection. "Just everything about the school made it feel like home for me."

"There's been a lot of ups and downs through this whole process. This is a school (Clemson) that came out at the end of it and led for me and I think me and all my family feel the same way about it."

Bresee, who is ranked No. 1 overall in the 247Sports Composite player rankings, was a Maxpreps Junior All-American and the Gatorade player of the year for Maryland with 36 tackles for loss with 12.5 sacks.

“(Bresee has a) wide-bodied, bulky frame with the ability to grow into an inside defender or trim down into a big edge lineman,” 247Sports analyst Barton Simmons said of Bresee, who compared him to former Heisman candidate Ndamukong Suh. “Has elite get-off and first-step quickness, particularly given his size and bulk. Shows quick hands as a pass rusher. Diagnoses plays effectively in the run game and has the agility to navigate through trash. High-level basketball player that translates that athleticism to the football field effectively.”

Bresee is a second five-star-rated addition to the 2020 Clemson defensive class, joining Trinity Christian (Fla.) cornerback Fred Davis II.

"The lineage is there of course," Simmons said of Clemson's defensive efforts lately. "And I think he continues that lineage. If you look at the guys who are about to get drafted, they're about have three first-round NFL draft picks this year. Next up is Xavier Thomas, a former five-star, and K.J. Henry, a former five-star. The dudes are already on campus as well. The other thing that makes this work - not just to continue in this lineage - but also he's a great fit scheme-wise for what this defense does...The fact that he can play that three-technique in an even front and could kick outside and play defensive end as well.

"You can really use him as a disruptive defensive lineman and he fits right in what some of those - Dexter Lawrence and Christian Wilkins-type guys - have done there. He's a great fit and a great representative of what Clemson has tried to build on the defensive front."

In the fight to stay atop the 2020 class rankings moving forward, Clemson is also a projected leader in the destination for five-star QB DJ Uiagalelei (Bellflower, Ca.), five-star defensive ends Jordan Burch (Columbia, S.C.) and Myles Murphy (Powder Springs, Ga.) and five-star linebacker Antoine Sampah (Woodbridge, Va.) according to the 247Sports Crystal Ball picks, as well as a leader for five-star RB Demarkcus Bowman (Lakeland, Fla.).

"What's scary is this could just be the beginning of this Clemson class," said Simmons on the CBS broadcast. "This could be the beginning of a five-star waterfall for Clemson. To do what they have done historically now - playing for national championships and with recruiting classes often in the top-10 and sometimes they sneak toward that top-five - this is looking like a No. 1 recruiting class and it's scary to think what Clemson could accomplish with the kind of talent they can line up this class."

GREAT DAY TO BE A CLEMSON TIGER?? #WE2DEEP20 #ALLIN ????
— Coach Jeff Scott (@coach_jeffscott) April 23, 2019

The No. 1 overall recruit in the Class of 2020 @bryan_bresee officially commits to Clemson.

Bresee held offers from Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, Penn State, among others.#AllIn pic.twitter.com/OQjFwapD5T
— CBS Sports HQ (@CBSSportsHQ) April 23, 2019

Congrats to my brother right here on his commitment to Clemson today that’s big time bro ??????? #ALLIN??@bryan_bresee pic.twitter.com/QQs8MI4Hm7
— ?? DJ Uiagalelei ?? (@DJUiagalelei) April 23, 2019