Brendan Harrington LB App State 2025 Tropical Bowl

Position Inside Linebacker
Class Redshirt Senior
Ht./Wt. 6-1 / 230
Hometown Pittsboro, NC.
Highschool Northwood HS

Career: Appeared in 39 games (with 22 starts) … Team captain in 2023 … Has 101 career tackles, 12.0 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks and four interceptions … Has shown incredible toughness and perseverance after suffering season-ending injuries early in the 2022 season (opener vs. North Carolina) and the 2023 season (Game 2 vs. UNC).

2023: Team captain … Started and appeared in the first two games before suffering a season-ending knee injury at UNC … Returning from an abbreviated 2022 season, started the 2023 opener against Gardner-Webb and had four tackles (with one tackle for loss) before posting six tackles (including a sack and 1.5 tackles for loss) in the UNC game … Remained a visible and vocal contributor as a de facto student assistant while rehabbing from a second straight season-ending injury.

2022: Played in one game, a start against UNC, and suffered a season-ending injury in the opener … Had two tackles and contributed to a tackle for loss against the Tar Heels … Preseason watch list for the East-West Shrine Bowl.

2021: Appeared in 13 games and made seven starts at outside linebacker … Finished season with 31 tackles, 3.0 sacks, 5.0 tackles for loss, four pass breakups, six QB hurries and one forced fumble … Started six of the first seven games (missing the Elon game with an injury) … Had 1.5 sacks in the opening victory against East Carolina, half a sack against Marshall and one sack against Georgia Southern … As a starter in the regular-season finale against Georgia Southern, had five tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and the one sack … Made a season-high six tackles and forced a fumble in the win against Marshall.

2020: Second-team All-Sun Belt from PFF and honorable mention All-Sun Belt from the league … Started all 12 games as an outside linebacker … Based on a Wins Above Average metric from PFF College, named the fifth-most valuable defender in college football … Ranked fourth on the team with 48 tackles and led the team with four interceptions, producing 95 return yards … Added 4.0 tackles for loss, six pass breakups and four QB hurries … Started all 12 games at one outside linebacker spot … Gained 46 yards on an interception return in the opener against Charlotte and scored a touchdown on a 49-yard interception return at Texas State to give App State the lead for good late in the first quarter … Also intercepted passes at ULM and at Georgia Southern … Was the only Sun Belt linebacker with more than two interceptions in 2020 … Had career-high 11 tackles in the bowl win against North Texas … At Georgia Southern, helped make a stop for a three-and-out right between Jalen Virgil’s 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and Nate Noel’s 70-yard touchdown run.

2019: Played in 11 games as a true freshman … Made 10 tackles while contributing on several special teams units and as an outside linebacker … Had two stops apiece against Charlotte, at Louisiana and at South Alabama.High School: Versatile player who had 64 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, five sacks and one interception as an all-conference linebacker during his senior season at Northwood … Also a key contributor at running back, had 840 rushing yards with 16 TDs and 322 receiving yards with two TDs in eight games offensively … Three-time all-conference pick as well as a two-time all-region pick from the News & Observer and a two-time team captain … Honor roll student who was a four-year starter in football while also playing basketball and running track at Northwood … A president of Northwood’s chapter of My Brother’s Keeper, a program that focuses on academic achievement for minority students … Coached at Northwood by his uncle, Brian Harrington, and was on a 7-5 team as a senior … Had four interceptions, including two touchdown returns, during a junior season in which he totaled 949 all-purpose yards and was an all-conference defensive back … Also an all-conference defensive back as a sophomore, when he scored on one of his four interceptions and also had a punt return for a touchdown … Intercepted two passes and had 10 breakups as a freshman … Considered a three-star recruit by the 247Sports composite rankings.