Boise State roster countdown 2017: Day 48, Bruno DeRose

Just 48 days remain until the Broncos take on the Troy Trojans, so today let’s look at #48 on the Boise State roster—Bruno DeRose

#48, Bruno DeRose, RS Freshman, WLB

Stats

Height: 5’11”

Weight: 211 lbs.

High School: Pueblo East High School, Pueblo, CO

How’d he get to The Blue™?

Simple. He walked (on, that is). DeRose joined a host of prospective Broncos before last season began and put in his subsequent redshirt year. DeRose might not have snared offers out of Pueblo East due to his somewhat diminutive size, but he was crazy active at the LB position, racking up a staggering 415 tackles his last 3 seasons at the school, to go along with six interceptions. DeRose was a two-time All-State honoree.

Nickname

“N/A”

Bruno DeRose already sounds like a character from GoodFellas, so I’m going to take the rare option of not giving him a nickname. Hey, you guys hear that Bruno DeRose snitched on Jimmy the Weasel?

Look-alike

Former Bronco wideout Taylor Pope

Career highlights

DeRose’s final 3 seasons in Pueblo were a highlight, with him racking up over 100 tackles each year—including 163(!) as a senior. Helped lead team to back-to-back 3A state titles in 2014 and 2015. Two-time 3A All-State selection and snagged All-Colorado honorable mention honors from the Denver Post in 2015.

2017 Prospectus

Both DeRose’s father and his uncle played collegiate football at CSU-Pueblo, so I’d say it says a little something that he chose to swing big on a Bronco walk-on spot. DeRose might be a bit on the smaller side (which could explain his dearth of offers), but dude was a tackling machine at Pueblo East and that usually signifies a certain level of defensive acumen. Remember, Boise State had a walk-on linebacker placed on scholarship just last year (and quickly) when Blake Whitlock got the call and Leighton Vander Esch got the same news not long before. Walk-on JC Percy was a frequent contributor for the Broncos a few short years ago and the list really goes on and on. DeRose has the football chops and precedent on his side and I think if he sticks to it, he could definitely enter the LB rotation...which isn’t short on talent, but due to graduation is somewhat short on bodies.

Is he on Twitter?

Yes, but he is not reprezentin’ the Westside

Completely made up fact

Shakespeare’s famous line from Romeo and Juliet is commonly misquoted, and is actually supposed to read “DeRose by any other name would smell as sweet”. Bruno’s Italian great-great-great-great-great grandfather was a contemporary of Bill Shakespeare and apparently had a pleasing personal aroma.