T.J. Brunson
Video by Jeff Tyner, analysis by Wes Mitchell
Evaluation by Matt O'Brien
What I like: There are two things I really like about Brunson’s game. 1) He has a real nose for the football. Whether it’s tracking down a runner in the open-field or fighting through traffic to meet a ball carrier at the line of scrimmage, Brunson seems to always put himself in good position to make a tackle. 2) He’s a downhill "thumping" linebacker who throws all of his weight into his hits and tackles – stopping runners in their tracks and preventing them from falling forward for extra yards.
Instant impact? Given the depth and experience returning for the Gamecocks at the linebacker position, I believe Brunson is a strong redshirt candidate. He would add depth at linebacker and be a solid special teams player in 2016 – especially on the kickoff unit – but I personally wouldn’t use a year of his eligibility for those purposes.
Rivals rating: Based on how Rivals defines their rating system, I can’t find much fault with Brunson being a 5.6 three-star.