One of most versatile players on UNC roster, tight end Bryson Nesbit ready to make impact
Well before North Carolina had any injuries to potential starters, offensive coordinator Phil Longo was exploring ways to get sophomore tight end Bryson Nesbit more involved in the offense.
It just got more critical with starting receiver Antoine Green set to miss at least the first six games with a shoulder injury. Don’t be surprised to see Nesbit split out wide at receiver. It’s not a gimmick either; the offense isn’t limited to certain plays when he is at receiver.
“It’s pretty open to everything,” Nesbit said. “I mean, I’ve run the same offense that all of our other outside receivers are running right now.”
Carolina isn’t deep at receiver. In the spring, UNC coach Mack Brown contemplated recruiting a graduate transfer to make up for their lack of experience in the area. The position was depleted by the transfers of Khafre Brown, Emery Simmons and Beau Corrales.
With Green injured, the Tar Heels have placed a renewed emphasis on tight end. Brown said they would consider going with “more two tight ends (sets) since Bryson can play both.”
The 6-foot-5, 230-pound Charlotte native got used to lining up wide in high school, where they would use his height advantage to throw fade routes and let him out jump smaller defenders for touchdowns. That’s why Nesbit said his transition has been fairly seamless.
“I would say it was pretty natural coming from high school, definitely playing 7-on-7 in high school as well,” Nesbit said. “All that was playing outside receiver. I mean, it’s fun. I love doing it.”
Maybe not as much as Carolina loves having the option of doing it.
Nesbit is arguably the most unique player among the receivers and tight ends. He’s big enough to be a dependable blocker in the running game, agile enough to be split wide, and fast enough that opponents trying to cover him with a linebacker are likely to get burned.
“Bryson is a great versatile tight end,” tight end John Copenhaver said. “He’s long, he’s fast, can catch well. We do tend to bump him out more times cause he’s a bit more athletic so we use that to our advantage.”
Nesbit said he doesn’t see much of a difference between the two positions. Whether he’s lined up in a three-point stance on the line or split wide, his goal is to be aggressive with whomever the defense puts on him.
“If I’m going against DBs (defensive backs) aggression will help me and especially if I’m going against linebackers aggression as a receiver will help me,” Nesbit said. “So really just being as physical as I can and running the best route I can, no matter really where I am.”
Nesbit is focused on becoming a better run blocker, where he said tight ends coach John Lily has been working with him to improve.
“He helped to get the fundamentals last year, now I’m kind of building on to that displacing blockers and being a good lead blocker,” Nesbit said.
That Nesbit is in any position to contribute this fast is fairly remarkable.
He’s only been playing football for three seasons. He fashioned himself a basketball player, despite being the son of a former NFL lineman, and didn’t begin playing until his junior year at South Mecklenburg High School.
It helps that his athletic genes are impeccable. His father, Jamar, played 11 seasons in the NFL including a stint with the Carolina Panthers. His mother, Tara, played soccer in college at South Carolina.
It’s all helped Nesbit earn his way into playing time despite his inexperience playing. As a freshman last season, he played in 11 games including a start at Wake Forest. He caught seven passes for 154 yards including a 47-yard touchdown from quarterback Jacolby Criswell. His 22.0 average yards per reception was second on the team behind Simmons (22.1 ypr) for any player with five or more catches.
Despite his potential, Nesbit isn’t clamoring to be moved to receiver full time.
“I would say (I’m) a tight end first,” Nesbit said. “My position here is tight end, but it just so happens that I can run all the routes on the outside and block outside.”