Former JMU football defensive end D.J. Bryant (Baltimore, Md./Randallstown) completed his first NFL season yesterday, as a part of the Super Bowl Champion Baltimore Ravens. Bryant was a member of the practice squad for the Ravens at the end of the season and was present yesterday in the New Orleans Superdome for the Ravens 34-31 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.
Bryant had spent time with the Houston Texans and Tampa Bay Buccaneers before being signed by the Baltimore Ravens late in the season.
Starting in 12 of the 13 games he played his senior year in 2011, Bryant was a First-Team All-Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) selection this past season after leading Madison back to the playoffs for the first time in three years. JMU’s Defensive Lineman of the Year finished sixth on the team with 48 total tackles, 27 of them solos, ranking 15th in the league among defensive linemen at 3.7 per game. He led the team and tied for sixth in the CAA with 7.0 sacks for 70 yards of loss and 10th in tackles for loss with 13.0 for 85 yards of loss. He also added one fumble recovery and one blocked kick on the year. The Baltimore native had a career-high eight tackles, including 1.5 for a loss in JMU’s home-opening win against Central Connecticut State. He chipped in at least three tackles in nine games this past season.
A four-year letterwinner, Bryant finished his career playing in 41 games, including each game the last three seasons, and recording 123 total tackles, with 61 of them solos. He had 28.5 total tackles for 156 yards of loss, 14.0 sacks, 10 passes defended, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, one interception and two blocked kicks.
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