TJ Brunson

Originally a 7th-round (238th pick overall) draft choice by the Giants in 2020. As a rookie in 2020, Brunson played in 5 games.

TRANSACTIONS:

• Originally a 7th-round (238th pick overall) draft choice by the Giants in 2020.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

• As a rookie in 2020, played in 5 games and was inactive for 11 games…Played 2 snaps on defense and 53 on special teams, where he had 3 tackles (2 solo)…Had one solo special teams tackle in his NFL debut at Philadelphia (10/22) and vs. Tampa Bay (11/2)…Assisted on one special teams tackle vs. Dallas (1/3).

COLLEGE:

• Brunson played in 49 games, including starts in each of his last 38 contests for the Gamecocks…Totaled 283 tackles (164 solo), including 21.0 for loss and 6.0 sacks…Brunson also had 1 interception, 7 passes defensed, 1 forced fumble and 4 fumble recoveries…Two-time permanent team captain.
• As a senior in 2019, sat out the spring while recovering from off-season surgery…Started all 13 games…Finished 2nd on the team with 77 tackles (44 solo), including 6.0 tackles for loss, 1 interception, 6 passes defensed and 1 fumble recovery…One of 5 permanent team captains…Selected by his teammates for the Leadership Award for defense…Selected to play in the NFL Players Association Collegiate Bowl…Had a season-high 12 tackles (9 solo) at Missouri…Collected 10 tackles at Georgia (7 solo) and at Tennessee (3 solo)…Recovered a fumble in an upset victory at Georgia…Notched his first career interception vs. Vanderbilt.
• In 2018, started all 13 games…Led the team with a career-high 106 tackles (59 solo) and tied for 7th in the SEC averaging 8.2 tackles per game...Posted a team-high 10.5 tackles for loss and was 2nd with 4.0 sacks...Led the team in tackles in seven of 13 games…One of 4 permanent team captains...Recognized by his peers with 4 postseason awards for the defense: shared with Javon Kinlaw the Joe Morrison Award as the MVP, was one of 3 Unselfish Teammate Award winners, garnered the Leadership Award, and shared with Jaycee Horn the Most Productive Player Award…Had a 3-game SEC stretch in which he recorded a total of 45 tackles: 14 vs. Tennessee, 15, including 3.5 for loss and 1.5 sacks, at Ole Miss, and a 16-tackle performance at Florida that included 3.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and one forced fumble...Recorded 12 tackles vs. Virginia in the Belk Bowl.
• In 2017, started all 13 games as a true sophomore and ranked 2nd on the team with 88 tackles, including 4.5 stops for loss and 2.0 sacks...Tied for the SEC lead and tied for 4th nationally with 3 fumble recoveries...Posted a career-high 16 tackles in the season-opening win over North Carolina State...Logged 12 tackles vs. Kentucky and 8, including one for a loss, vs. Louisiana Tech…Recovered a fumble and returned it 73 yards for a touchdown vs. Arkansas…Collected a game-high 13 tackles with his first 2 career sacks vs. Michigan in the Outback Bowl to earn a spot on the AP All-Bowl Team.
• As a true freshman in 2016, played in 11 games at linebacker and on special teams...Finished his debut season with 12 tackles (8 solo).

OFF-THE-FIELD ACTIVITY:

• Teamed up with the Far Rockaway Colts and the NYPD, throughout the 2020 season, to improve police-community relations and education through football in Far Rockaway, Queens through the Team of Teams initiative… Represented the Far Rockaway Colts during the NFL's Week 13 My Cause My Cleats initiative.

PERSONAL:

• Brunson graduated in December 2019 with a degree in interdisciplinary studies…Full name is Tremari Jerelle Brunson…Was the first recruit coach Will Muschamp visited after being hired…Played at Columbia's Richland Northeast High School, just 8 miles from the USC campus…Overcame a serious hip injury during his junior season to log 140 tackles as a senior, leading the Cavaliers to the Class 3A state playoffs...Named the Defensive MVP of the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas after leading the Sandlappers with 13 tackles and 1.0 sack...Credited with 134 tackles as a junior.