Knights Under Lights: Christian Braswell
In Knights Under Lights, The Daily Targum looks at athletes who distinguished themselves during their time on the Banks.
Christian Braswell was only healthy for one year on the Rutgers football team, but he still made his mark on the program in true Scarlet Knight fashion.
A defensive back hailing from Washington D.C., Braswell led the team with three interceptions and 11 pass breakups in his senior season. Braswell received second-team All-Big Ten honors by Pro Football Focus (PFF) en route to being picked in the sixth round of the NFL Draft.
While Braswell finished his collegiate career donning scarlet, his original color was cherry red. Braswell played at Temple from 2017 to 2020, amassing 61 total tackles and three interceptions while in Philadelphia. After the COVID-riddled 2020 season, Braswell entered the transfer portal. Rutgers took full advantage of the ever-changing college football landscape and scooped up an impact player in Braswell.
Braswell was forced to sit out the 2021 season due to a knee injury, but returned the following year and appeared in all 12 games for the Knights at cornerback. Playing in his first-ever game for Rutgers, Braswell recorded an interception against Boston College, helping lead the Knights to an upset road win over the Eagles in Alumni Stadium to kickstart the year.
Braswell continued to make a name for himself throughout the year, snagging interceptions in back-to-back weeks against Nebraska and Indiana. One of the best moments of his young career came against the Hoosiers, grabbing an interception and running it back to the endzone for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of a tight game. Braswell ran to the crowd, yelling and cheering with the Rutgers fans.
He also had a season-high eight tackles against Ohio State, one of the premier programs in the country. In addition to the aforementioned All-Big Ten Second Team honor by PFF, Braswell was an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention by the Media and was an Academic All-Big Ten honoree.
Braswell's play throughout his collegiate career, especially in his senior season on the Banks, gave him an opportunity to achieve what every football player dreams of: hearing their name called during the NFL Draft.
With the 202nd overall pick in the draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars selected Braswell, which made him the 66th player ever to be drafted from Rutgers.
Standing at 5-foot-11, Braswell uses his explosive abilities to win on the perimeter. His traits make him an ideal nickel corner who can handle zone coverages with ease, but his vertical gifts also allow him to play well on the perimeter. During his Pro Day, Braswell posted a 40-inch vertical jump and an 11-foot broad jump.
In his first NFL season, Braswell was limited to only three games before being put on injured reserve due to a hamstring injury. The following year, Braswell was cut by the Jaguars but re-signed to the team's practice squad and could be called up at a moment's notice. He has appeared in one game so far this year.
While Braswell continues to find his footing in the NFL, Knights fans must not forget his stellar play during his time on the Banks. As Rutgers looks to build on its culture and identity as a hard-nosed football team, Braswell is undoubtedly a player who can be coined as someone who pushed that culture forward.
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