Desmond Bryant

Desmond Jerel Bryant (born December 15, 1985) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Harvard Crimson and was signed by the Oakland Raiders as an undrafted free agent in 2009.

Early life and college Bryant was born in Shorewood, Illinois to Alton and Lillian Bryant. He graduated from East Bladen High School at Elizabethtown, North Carolina in 2004. In his senior season, Bryant helped his high school football team to a 13-1 record. That was his only year playing high school football in North Carolina. His high school number is retired at East Bladen. Bryant played football and basketball for three years while attending high school in Middletown, Delaware and played for the East Bladen basketball team for two seasons. With a weighted 4.2 grade point average and 1230 SAT score, Bryant chose Harvard despite offers by Duke, Florida A&M, and Towson University. As Ivy League schools do not offer athletic or academic scholarships, Bryant received a financial aid scholarship. Harvard coach Tim Murphy thought that Bryant could be a four-year starter and potentially a professional player and compared Bryant to a Southeastern Conference player.

Reflecting on his college years, Bryant told the Los Angeles Times: "The Ivy League's not really my type of environment. I had some really good teammates and friends, but outside of the football world I didn't interact much with the other kids."

Professional career

Oakland Raiders Bryant is the 29th Harvard Crimson football player to play in the NFL. Bryant played all 16 games of his rookie season and had 24 solo and 8 assisted tackles. The next season, Bryant made 2.5 sacks.

Bryant started 12 games with the Browns in 2013, recording 31 tackles and 3.5 sacks. On December 4, 2013, Bryant was placed on the reserve/non-football illness list, ending his season, after Bryant had issues with an irregular heartbeat.

Bryant returned to play in the 2014 season, starting all 15 games he played with five sacks, one fumble recovery, and 50 tackles.

During the 2016 offseason, Bryant was ruled out for the season due to tearing a pectoral muscle while weightlifting.

On August 22, 2017, Bryant was released by the Browns.

NFL career statistics Legend Bold Career high

Year Team Games Tackles Interceptions Fumbles GP GS Cmb Solo Ast Sck TFL Int Yds TD Lng PD FF FR Yds TD 2009 OAK 16 0 32 24 8 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 2010 OAK 15 0 21 15 6 2.5 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2011 OAK 16 10 35 30 5 5.0 8 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 2012 OAK 16 8 36 26 10 3.0 8 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 2013 CLE 12 12 31 11 20 3.5 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2014 CLE 15 15 50 25 25 5.0 8 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 2015 CLE 14 14 33 24 9 6.0 7 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 104 59 238 155 83 25.0 38 0 0 0 0 3 4 2 0 0

Personal life In June 2010, Bryant was one of five men arrested for an attack in a parking lot. Bryant was arrested on a misdemeanor criminal mischief charge for allegedly showing up drunk and shirtless at a Florida family's home on February 24, 2013. His mug shot showing him intoxicated with his eyes half closed and tongue sticking out went viral.