On Day 3 of the 2020 NFL Draft, the New York Giants used six of their seven selections on defensive players, four of which were linebackers.
All four players don’t exactly fit the physical prototype of the modern day NFL linebacker. T.J. Brunson (6’1″, 230 pounds), selected 238th in the draft, is an inside linebacker that is just a sliver too light for the role.
“He’s a little bit smaller,” said general manager Dave Gettleman said after the draft. “He plays the stack Will linebacker. He’s fast, he’s really athletic, he’s got good instincts. He’s just a little bit on the small side but he plays at about 230. We feel like he will be a really good fit and also has a lot of special teams value.”
Typical Gettleman draft pick. If they aren’t starting material, they must possess that ability to play on special teams. That’s fine with new head coach Joe Judge, who made his bones as a special teams coordinator with New England.
Judge, however, sees Brunson as possibly much more than an end of the roster addition.
“He’s a guy you see making tackles sideline-to-sideline. He’s also a guy in South Carolina’s scheme and (Will) Mushchamp’s scheme down there isn’t the simplest,” said Judge. “Guys have been challenged mentally being down there. They’ve been coached hard. It’s very similar to the guys we talked about playing at Georgia and Alabama. Very similar schemes, very similar cultures. He’s a guy that was out there making a lot of calls so you can see the communication element with him on the field as well as the productivity on the field.”
Brunson was also a two-time captain for the Gamecocks, playing over 2,500 snaps over a three-year career.
“When it comes to durability, I feel like I’m a guy that’s going to just be out there every game, as long as I’m healthy,” Brunson told reporters last week.
“But I’m a guy that’s going to do what it takes to get on the field to help my team out. That just comes with preparation and just how I take care of my body.”
Brunson is also known for his tenacity, something he developed early on in life having two older brothers to keep up with. On the field, he brings that edges that chip on his shoulder that fuels his competitive nature.
“I think I was the guy that just went out there to bring energy and to play fast, but I’ve played Mike, Will and wherever else I needed to line up. There were a few times that I lined up as a single high safety and I was a middle field safety. So, wherever they need me to play, I feel like I’m comfortable and I’m able to do it,” he said.
And that is the story of the Joe Judge Giants — versatility, durability, intelligence with a team-first attitude. Brunson personifies all of that.
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