high-IQ, ball-hawking linebacker who keeps showing up
Bruener is a reliable, high-motor linebacker whose calling card is production and instincts: in 2024, he led Washington with 103 tackles and added 3 interceptions, earning third-team All-Big Ten honors and a captaincy nod. He stands out more for range, awareness, and coverage playmaking than pure pass-rush juice, which is why evaluators view him as a fit for defenses that value assignment soundness, toughness, and special-teams utility. His college arc also matters: he has thrived through role changes and still consistently finds the football.
