When Marcus Bryant arrived on the campus of SMU back in the fall of 2020, he barely weighed 250 pounds. That's not nearly enough for a Division-I tackle let alone one with NFL aspirations. Five years later, Bryant tipped the scales at 320 and helped solidify the offensive line as the left tackle at Missouri.

The 6-7 native of Round Rock, Texas, was selected by New England in the seventh round, 220^th overall, and given his size and attributes he has every opportunity to carve out a role for himself along the Patriots front.

Given his size as a youngster in Texas, Bryant fancied himself as a basketball player. But as he developed, things quickly turned to the gridiron, and he's been a fixture up front ever since.

"Every offensive lineman's first love is basketball," said Missouri offensive line coach Brandon Jones with a laugh. "But like most of them, Marcus started to grow out instead of just growing up and he eventually made the switch. When he started at SMU, he was only around 245-250. I was really impressed with his ability to gain the weight and sustain the weight, and when he came to us this year, he was really impressive."

Bryant was at SMU for four seasons, starting 29 of the 42 games he played for the Mustangs. He opted to transfer to Missouri for his final season because he wanted the opportunity to perform on a larger stage in the SEC. With an eye toward getting on the NFL's radar, Bryant entered the Tigers program as the starter at left tackle despite the presence of Armand Membou, the right tackle who was chosen seventh overall by the Jets.

"He represented kind of a missing piece for us at the time," Jones said. "As the season went on, he just improved and got better and better each week. The caliber of defensive linemen we faced each week in the SEC prepared him for the next level, and now he'll have a chance to prove he belongs."

Despite the presence of Membou, who Jones believes was more than capable of switching sides to man the left tackle spot, Bryant served as a plug-and-play option in his lone season at Missouri. Because the Tigers were set to add a new left guard as well, Jones felt pairing Bryant with the newcomer made the most sense.

He was not disappointed. Bryant immediately added a level to stability to the left side in the Tigers run-heavy attack. And his ability to work at his craft was something that really stood out to the staff.

"Our big concern was his run blocking, and I do think that improved significantly," Jones said. "The style we are at Missouri is pretty much run first. The big challenge was working on his flexibility, and he's done that. He's been doing some yoga, and I thought he was a completely different person at his pro day as a result of that work. He was running better and was much more fluid. He will just continue to develop. His best football is ahead of him."

Like Patriots first-round pick Will Campbell, Bryant spent time working at OL Masterminds, clinics designed to further train and develop offensive linemen. Founded by Duke Manyweather, an expert in the field with more than a decade of experience training offensive linemen, OL Masterminds provides an opportunity for young players to work on techniques to enhance their ability.

"Marcus was a bit star-struck at O-Line Masterminds in the summer," Jones said. "He was around some really talented players like [Kansas City's] Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith and really enjoyed the experience. It was basically a two-day clinic of offensive line play and learning how he can improve. He did a lot of training for the Combine with Duke Manyweather. I believe he got a lot out of that work and he's ready."

It's no secret that the Patriots offensive line was a trouble spot in 2024. With that in mind, the team drafted three – Campbell, Bryant and Georgia center Jared Wilson (fourth round) – and signed veteran right tackle Morgan Moses. The message those moves sent is clear – jobs are available to be won.

As a seventh-round pick, Bryant isn't likely to find himself in the mix for a starting job at the outset, but he will get every opportunity to find a role as a backup swing tackle with a strong camp.

"He's pretty unique," Jones concluded. "He has some similarities with [Miami second-year tackle] Patrick Paul. His point of emphasis will be improving his run blocking, but he seldom gets beaten in pass protection.

"He has to continue to stay the course. He's motivated and hungry. He won't waste this opportunity."

Marcus Bryant
T, 6-7, 320
Missouri
Round Rock, Texas
7^th round, 220^th overall

Strengths: Great size and length for position … Above average athleticism … Powerful upper body … Shows quickness in handling outside rushers … Good punch and timing in pass protection … Has the ability and footwork to stay with speed rushers off the edge.

Weaknesses: Height leads to trouble with his knee bend at times … Doesn't control defenders after initial strike … High pad level makes it difficult to get to second level … Lacks timing in getting to second level … Struggles with twists in pass protection … Tends to lean at the waist and loses balance in his sets.

Personal: First love was basketball but made the switch to football as he grew … Spent first four years of his college career at SMU, where he started 29 of 42 games for the Mustangs … Named first-team All-American Athletic Conference in 2023 … Interested in acting and pursued an on-screen career as a child. Appeared in commercials for a Law Office while at SMU … Brother Marcel plays basketball at Division I Prairie View A&M … Starred at Cedar Ridge High School in Round Rock, Texas … Twitter handle is @marcus_bryant52.

Comparable NFL player: Patrick Paul, T, Miami – Styles and sizes are similar, and both are considered stronger in pass protection.

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What they're saying …

"Bryant is a big left tackle with good length, and he ran well at his pro day. He plays high but has all the tools to develop in time." – Steve Muench, ESPN.com

DISCLAIMER: The views and thoughts expressed in this article are those of the writer and don't necessarily reflect those of the organization. Read Full Disclaimer