Brandon Bryant (American football) facts for kids
Bryant in 2015
|
|
| No. 38, 40 | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Safety |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | December 21, 1995 Tunica, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
| Weight: | 215 lb (98 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Rosa Fort (Tunica County, Mississippi) |
| College: | Mississippi State |
| Undrafted: | 2018 |
| Career history | |
|
|
Brandon Ladarius Bryant, born on December 21, 1995, is a former American football player. He played as a safety, which is a defensive position, and was a college football star at Mississippi State University.
Contents
Early Football Days: High School Star
Brandon Bryant went to Rosa Fort High School in Tunica, Mississippi. There, he played two important positions: quarterback (who throws the ball) and safety (a defensive player).
He was considered a very good player, earning a "three-star recruit" rating from top sports websites like 247sports.com and ESPN. This meant many colleges wanted him to play for them. On November 4, 2013, he decided to join Mississippi State.
College Football Career
Brandon Bryant played college football for the Mississippi State Bulldogs. He showed great skill and became a key player for their team.
Freshman Season: Making a Big Impact (2015)
After taking a "redshirt" year in 2014 (meaning he practiced but didn't play in games), Bryant played in all 13 games during the 2015 season. He started in eight of those games.
He began as a backup safety but soon became a starter. In a game against Troy, he forced a fumble early on. The very next week, playing against Louisiana Tech, Brandon made his first college interception (catching a pass meant for the other team). He even ran it all the way back for a touchdown! He also recovered a blocked punt in that game.
Later that season, famous football player Tim Tebow called Bryant the "Freak of Week" on TV. This was because Brandon could run a 40-yard dash incredibly fast (in 4.24 seconds) and could deadlift 600 pounds (lifting a very heavy weight off the ground). He caught another interception in a game against Alabama.
Sophomore Season: A Defensive Leader (2016)
In 2016, a newspaper called The Clarion-Ledger said Brandon was the second most important player for the Bulldogs. They called him the "top playmaker" and the "backbone" of the team's defense. He had another interception against Samford that year.
Junior Season: Continuing to Shine (2017)
Brandon played in all 13 games again during the 2017 season. He made another interception in a win against BYU.
Professional Football Career
After his successful college career, Brandon Bryant moved on to play professional football.
Playing for the New York Jets
In 2018, Brandon Bryant signed with the New York Jets as a free agent. This means he wasn't chosen in the main draft but was still picked up by a team. He was part of their practice squad for a while, which is a group of players who train with the team but don't always play in games. He was later moved to the active roster, meaning he could play in official games.
He stayed with the Jets through 2019.
Time with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
On April 16, 2020, Brandon Bryant signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, a team in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played there for a short time before deciding to retire from football on June 28, 2021.
