Last season, there were moments when opposing defensive backs could bully Bryant Wesco Jr. This season, he plans on being the bully.
The Clemson Tigers' standout sophomore receiver, fresh off a Freshman All-America campaign, is sending a clear message to the rest of the ACC: The player you saw in 2024 is gone. In his place is a bigger, stronger, and more confident version ready to physically dominate the competition.
Wesco has transformed his body in the offseason, packing on 15 pounds of muscle to go from a wiry 175 pounds to a formidable 190.
"Last year, I think I weighed in at like 175," Wesco said Friday. "This weigh-in, I [was] 190, so probably 15 pounds."
That extra bulk isn't just for show. Wesco believes it will make him a complete receiver, turning a former weakness into a major strength.
"Helping me mainly in blocking," Wesco said of the added weight. "And then more explosive, not as easy to tackle, not as easy to get your hands on, but still being elusive."
'A Night and Day Difference'
The change is already palpable on the practice fields at Death Valley. Wesco, who along with T.J. Moore formed the first Power Conference freshman duo since 2000 to each post over 650 receiving yards and five touchdowns, admits he's no longer getting pushed around by Clemson's physical defensive backs.
"From last year, from them bullying me up, I’m not getting bullied nearly [as much] as it was last year," Wesco stated. "I’m being able to hold my own … just being able to put my weight on them a little bit more than I did last year."
That sentiment is echoing through the locker room and up to the coaching offices.
"I know they had great years as true freshmen, but there is a night and day difference now," offensive coordinator Garrett Riley said last month. "They are in a much better place than they were a year ago. It is not even close."
Wesco's partner-in-crime, T.J. Moore, could only laugh when told about his teammate's "not getting bullied" comments.
"I would never admit to that," Moore said with a grin.
After a stellar freshman year where he hauled in 41 catches for 708 yards and five touchdowns, leading the team with an eye-popping 17.3 yards per catch, the evolution of Bryant Wesco Jr. presents a terrifying prospect for opposing defenses. If the bigger, stronger version is even half as explosive as he claims, the Tigers' passing attack could be one of the nation's elite in 2025.