2026 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Brendan Harrington, LB, Georgia Southern University

• Name: Brendan Harrington
• Position: LB
• College: Georgia Southern University
• Height: 6′ 0″
• Weight: 225 lbs
• X: @SirHarrington18
• Instagram: @bharrington8_

What made you decide you wanted to be a football player?

I grew up around the game, my uncle has been coaching for 30 plus years and I grew up as a ball boy watching high school football, all my brothers played football and so I pretty much just grew up around the game and fell in love with it just watching it and I wanted to be a part of the game like my uncle was.

What are your favorite moments from your football life?

Receiving my first football offers, playing my first college game and having my mom there and any of the games where we played a ranked opponent and won the game, those were fun to be a part of.

What are you looking to achieve as a football player going forward?

I would love to make an NFL team and contribute to winning and whatever aspect that organization or team will need me in. I want to give back to my community as I do that and help support my family and their goals and in all of their aspirations.

If you could hang out with any football player past or present for a day, who and why?

Lavonte David or Bobby Wagner just depending on the day. They are two of my favorite players that have played inside linebacker like me. I like to study their game. They’ve been playing at the highest level for a very long time and at a pro bowl and all pro level for a very long time in the NFL. I would just love to see how they study and how they train their mind as an inside linebacker. I would love to figure out what intangibles and things that they see in the NFL level that make or help them play at the highest level and do what they do.

Which one of your family members inspires you the most and why?

My mom just because she raised me by herself and she made a lot of sacrifices for me to be able to play at the highest level for instance like taking me to football camps in the summer and getting off work early to take me to practices as a kid and she’s extremely tough and made a lot of tough decisions in order to become the man who I am today. 

What is your favorite defensive scheme and why?

I’ve actually played in a lot of different schemes. I like all defensive schemes. I don’t think that there is one particular scheme that works better than another. I think that defense is predicated on your personnel and having the right mindset collectively for all 11 players or whoever is out there on defense, all believing in the structure of the defense and all believing in the call and doing it at the highest level in order to be successful as an entire defense. I think that some defenses work better for others in certain leagues or depending on who you play but I’m not a particular fan of any particular defense. I like all defenses. I’ve played in 3-4, 4-2-5, 3-3-5. I’ve played in alot of different defenses like I said I think the personnel and who you’re playing with and the mindset of those players is what dictates how well a defense can be.

What should we know about Brendan Harrington the person?

I’m extremely outgoing, I can talk to a wall and just about anybody. I like building relationships and I spend my free time reading, just hanging out and watching TV, spending time with my family, sometimes fishing and watching my little cousins play sports.

What stands out about your film the most?

How much leadership I have on the field, I am extremely smart and I understand defensive structures and I’m able to help other people be in position to make plays. I’m extremely cerebral on the defensive side of the ball. I have a good feel for offensive tendencies, formations, down and distance field position and I have a good knack for communicating well to the entire defense on what to be prepared for based off of the offense.

How do you handle challenges both in life and on the football field?

I handle them head on. I run towards adversity. I’ve been through a lot of adverse situations and all of those have helped me become a better man today and I’ve learned from all of those, I have a good knack in challenging situations on and off the football field. I think I thrive well in challenging situations and adverse situations because I have an extreme calmness for knowing that regardless of what happens that there will be a way to figure it out and become a better person, learn from it and grow from it.

What would a team get in a player like you?

They will get a young man who is eager to do whatever it takes to contribute to winning and whatever role and capacity that team needs me in and they will get a young man that is a leader and I’m extremely passionate, a good teammate and a guy that brings good energy to the building and a guy that wants to do anything that is willing to contribute to winning and help the team win and create a good culture within the locker room and within the building.

What do you love the most about the game of football?

I love the preparation. I love going to practice being out there with my teammates and I love going through tough workouts. I love watching film. I love building good habits on the practice field. I love preparing for games more than I do playing in the game. I think preparing for the game is what makes the game so fun on game day and makes it so easy to be able to go out there and execute and make it through tough situations with your teammates because you’ve been through tough practices and tough workouts.

Who is the most underrated player you’ve played with and why?

I think the most underrated player I’ve played with is my fellow linebacker teammate Brandon Tyson. He played with me at Georgia Southern this past year. He’s underrated because he came from Elon University, a division one FCS school in North Carolina and he took a chance on himself and went to Georgia Southern. And he’s underrated because not many people know about him and he was under recruited in high school but he’s extremely hard working. He’s all the right things character wise on and off the field and he has a knack for the football. He plays with an extremely high motor and he loves to be physical at the point of contact.