Brandon Cannon Class: Graduate Student Hometown: Lithonia, GA High School: Stephenson Height / Weight: 6-3 / 255 Position: DE Experience: 2 VL Major: Management

Cannon Fact: One of three players on the team who already has his undergraduate degree.
Years Lettered: 2003, 05
Bowl Participation: Reserve defensive lineman in the 2005 Champs Sports Bowl against Colorado.
Fall 2006 Depth Chart Position: Second-team defensive end

Overview: Second-team defensive end entering the fall, but should see plenty of playing time...had played just 35 career plays in three years entering 2005; he showed great improvement over the course of 2005...has played in 14 games in his career on defense for 84 plays; Clemson is 11-1 in the 12 games he has played on defense...received his degree on May 12, 2006 in management; he will take graduate level courses this fall...joins Cole Chason and Chansi Stuckey as the graduates on the team...lettered as a freshman and junior.

2005: Had just four tackles, but three of them were in eight plays against #16 Florida State; perhaps the best on a per-play basis by a Tiger all year; recorded a pair of sacks in just eight snaps against the Seminoles; the 23 lost yards were the most negative yards on sacks by a Tiger all year...did not play at all in the first three games, then played on special teams only against #25 Boston College and Wake Forest...did not play at N.C. State, then played a career-high 18 snaps against Temple...played on scrimmage plays in each of he last four games; Clemson won all four games...played 49 snaps in seven games...played two snaps on defense in the Champs Sports Bowl against Colorado.

2004: Played 15 snaps in four games...appeared at Texas A&M (3), Florida State (3), Utah State (5), and South Carolina (4).

2003: Appeared in three games and played 20 snaps as a red-shirt freshman...played six snaps at Georgia Tech near his hometown...played seven snaps in consecutive games late in the year, both wins, over Duke and South Carolina...did not record a tackle in his 20 plays.

2002: Red-shirted.

Before Clemson: All-county both his junior and senior seasons...four-year starter at Stephenson High School...honorable mention all-state who had nine sacks and participated in the Tennessee-Georgia All-Star game his senior year...played on both sides of the football...also a track standout...team captain his senior year...led his high school to a 10-3 record and the third round of the state playoffs...Atlanta Journal Constitution top 50 in Georgia...four-star prospect by TheInsiders.com...ranked as the 27th-best defensive end in the nation by TheInsiders.com...four-star prospect by Rivals100.com...ninth-ranked weakside defensive in the nation by Rivals100.com...played for Ron Gartrell...chose Clemson over Auburn, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Maryland, North Carolina, and Ohio State...born January 5, 1984...majoring in pre-business.