Our countdown of the top 100 players we've covered in the VandySports era (2003 to present) continues with offensive lineman Bruno Reagan.
Honors and awards: 2018 Pro Football Focus first team All-SEC (center)
2017 Southeastern Conference offensive lineman of the week (Tennessee game)
In the record book: Reagan does not appear on any single-season or career leaderboards.
Before VU: Reagan played at nearby Clarksville High School. He was a South Florida commitment before flipping to VU the day before National Signing Day in 2014.
Freshman (2015): After redshirting in 2014, Reagan played in nine games, including the last seven, and started the final two contests (Texas A&M, Tennessee) at right guard. Credited with 12 pancake blocks and 10 domination blocks. Graded a 60.7 on 88 pass-blocking attempts and a 71.1 on 121 runs, according to PFF. Was flagged just once during the season.
Sophomore (2016): Started all 13 games at right guard and played nearly 90 percent of the snaps, ranking fourth on the team in that category. Graded a 4.92 on 462 pass-blocking opportunities and a 79.0 on 445 runs. Drew just one penalty all season. Graded a 61.7 on 70 special teams plays.
Junior (2017): Moved to center, where he started all 12 games and tied Justin Skule for the team lead (763) in snaps. Graded a 63.1 on 450 passing snaps and a 65.7 on 313 runs. Drew three penalties all season, none in the same game. Graded a 65.7 on 49 special teams plays.
Senior (2018): Reagan started the first five games at right guard before moving back to center, where he started the final eight. Played over 98 percent of the snaps and helped VU gain 411 yards per game, and 37.5 points over the final five contests. Graded higher than any other center or guard in the SEC, according to PFF, and didn't allow a sack all season. Graded a 63.6 on 44 special teams plays.
Post-VU: After failing to catch on with an NFL team, Reagan, who is also proficient in judo, was drafted by the XFL's St. Louis Battlehawks. St. Louis went 3-2 before the season was suspended due to the Coronavirus outbreak.
Final thoughts, and why I ranked him where I did: There's a lot to be said for a guy who plays almost every snap as a starter for three years running, and played well while doing it. Reagan also played guard and center, and the coaching staff trusted him to move back to center in mid-2018 without a lot of practice reps leading up to that move. The combination of durability, dependability and toughness (Reagan participated in his 2018 Pro Day despite stepping on a nail the day before) count for a lot.
Value is also sometimes measured by a player's absence. Not only was center a disaster the year after Reagan graduated, but there were also leadership issues following the departure of he and quarterback Kyle Shurmur.
Interior linemen aren't perceived to be as valuable as tackles. That, and the fact that Reagan wasn't a perennial all-star, limit his value. But between the duration of a quality career and the other intangibles, Reagan deserves a mention on this list.
