Brandon Pili
With no NFL presence in Alaska, Brandon Pili of Anchorage didn’t have a local rooting interest and never claimed a team. He rocked a Michael Vick jersey, but he wasn’t a Falcons fan.
“I just liked specific players. I’ve never been a diehard team fan just because I really don’t have grounds to claim a team because we ain’t got one in Alaska,” Pili said. “I guess the closest would be the Seahawks, but I never had a favorite team.”
He does now.
The 23-year-old former USC Trojans’ defensive lineman on Saturday said he’s headed to the Miami Dolphins after agreeing to an unrestricted free-agent contract that includes $100,000 guaranteed.
“Dreams coming true today,” he said.
The 6-foot-3, 345-pound Pili had a standout senior season in 2022 with a career-best 25 tackles in 14 games for a Trojans’ team that won 11 games and reached the Cotton Bowl.
His career was interrupted by injuries, but he still managed to log 52 career games – the most in Pac-12 history by a player from Alaska.
Excited to get to work! #FinsUp https://t.co/XP59d4xwxs
— BPeezy9️⃣1️⃣ (@BrandonPili) April 30, 2023
Pili, of Dimond High fame, has been a difference maker at every level of his career. All he wanted was a chance in the NFL.
He will get one with Miami, where he’s due to report to Dolphins’ rookie mini camp on May 12.
“Until the pen hits the paper it’s never a done deal, but we’ve been talking about it for a couple months now,” Pili said. “It’s a blessing.”
Dolphins’ defensive line coach Austin Clark was an assistant at USC when Pili was a freshman at the Pac-12 Conference school and they reconnected before the draft.
“He told me he’d really love to have me over there,” Pili said of Clark. “He said they would try to draft me with the sixth- or seventh-round pick, but I guess the team ended up going in a different direction.”
Pili produced 74 career tackles, including 10 for loss. Photo by Alicia de Artola/Reign of Troy
The Dolphins still got their man in the end, thanks to Clark’s recommendation.
“He knew what type of player I am, what kind of person I am too, so he told me he’s willing to take a chance and give me a shot,” Pili said.
With Clark as his coach at USC, Pili had perhaps his best season. He started two of the team’s final nine games as a true freshman, made 14 tackles, blocked a field goal and was named to the 2017 All-Pac-12 Team.
Pili is happy he will see a familiar face in Miami.
“I think it’ll be fun, man. We’ve got some history, we’ve got some trust with each other, so it ain’t gonna be like playing for someone you don’t know or just talking to for the first time,” he said. “I think it’ll be good to have somebody in my corner right when I get there.”