Name: Cameron Brandt
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 270 lbs.
High school: Chatsworth (CA) Sierra Canyon
Position: Defensive end
Class: Junior
Jersey number: #91
Last year: I ranked Brandt #40 and said he would be a backup defensive end (LINK). He made 13 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, and 2 pass breakups.
TTB Rating: 82
Brandt had a bit of a coming out party in 2024, especially during the second half of the season. After a pretty boring freshman season (aside from, you know, winning a national championship), he ascended into the two-deep during his sophomore year and turned it on as the year went along, making his first career sack against Michigan State, snagging another one against Indiana, and finishing up with 3 tackles, 1 sack, and 1 forced fumble in the ReliaQuest Bowl against Alabama.
The only edge Michigan lost ahead of Brandt was Josaiah Stewart, so Brandt remains firmly entrenched on the second unit behind Derrick Moore and T.J. Guy. Despite the loss of Stewart, I expect Michigan's edge rushers as a whole to be better in 2025. Michigan has three upperclassmen in Brandt, Guy, and Moore, and there are several talented young players, along with inside linebacker Jaishawn Barham, who will reportedly come off the edge a little bit more this season. Brandt is a good-sized body at 265 lbs. who's not the biggest or the quickest, but his combination of athleticism and agility should make him tough to handle on a consistent basis. I think he'll basically look like a third starter when he comes into the game.
Prediction: Backup defensive end
Yep that's a confident claim on edge being better while losing a 3rd rounder in Stewart but I think I agree. Moore should be a stud and Nichols might be a rising star.
ReplyDeletepotentially great eval on this kid, thunder.
ReplyDeletei recall thinking he was a 72-74 on your scale, aka a slightly above average starter - closer to average than not though. i believe some were projecting a move inside given his tweener status as a recruit.
after flashes of belonging last year and 2 more years to hone his game & gain playing strength, brandt has great chance to meet or exceed that 82 rating. big guy who moves pretty well. lacks great getoff and bend but he appears comfortable playing at extension and drops to flats well for a guy his size.
well see if he can take the next step to become really productive and consistently win vs talented tackles
I'm high on the entire DL, even after losing Stewart and The Gifts
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