Northwestern University Athletics
2026 Football Spring Roster
Jersey Number 3
Brenden Deasfernandes
- Height:
- 6-2
- Weight:
- 195
- Position:
- DB
- Class:
- Graduate Student
- Hometown:
- Detroit, Mich.
- High School:
- Belleville
- Prev School:
- Central Michigan / Iowa
2025 Redshirt Senior (at Central Michigan):
As a redshirt senior defensive back, saw action in all 13 games and made nine starts at cornerback … moved from safety to cornerback in spring drills … listed as the starter on the depth chart at cornerback … concluded the year with 25 tackles (13 solo), two interceptions, and a team-high eight pass breakups … made at least one tackle in 12 of 13 games … finished with a career-high four pass breakups and two tackles in the GameAbove Sports Bowl vs. Northwestern (12/26) … tallied a season-high tying four tackles (two solo) in season finale vs. Toledo (11/29) … finished with three tackles and a pass breakup vs. Buffalo (11/12) … made two tackles at Western Michigan (11/1) … made a career-high tying four tackles (three solo) at Bowling Green (10/18) … made a tackle and pass breakup vs. Eastern Michigan (9/27) … had a pass breakup vs. Wagner (9/20) … intercepted pass, made two tackles (one solo) at Michigan (9/13) … made three tackles (one solo) at Pittsburgh (9/6) … intercepted pass in the end zone, broke up a pass, and made one tackle in season opener at San Jose State (8/29).
2024 Redshirt Senior (at Central Michigan):
As a redshirt senior defensive back, saw action in all 12 games with two starts at safety … also saw action on special teams … listed as either the starting and backup safety on the depth chart … earned Academic All-MAC honors … finished the year with 14 tackles (nine solo), 1.0 tackle for loss for one yard and a pass breakup … made three tackles vs. Western Michigan (11/13) … made a career-high five tackles (three solo) vs. Bowling Green (11/5) … made one tackle with a pass breakup at Illinois (9/14) … totaled two tackles at Florida International (9/7) … in season debut, made 1.0 tackle for loss vs. Central Connecticut State (8/29).
2023 Redshirt Junior (at Iowa):
As a redshirt junior, recorded first career assisted tackle for a loss of one yard in 41-10 win over Western Michigan… had first career punt return for no yards in 31-0 loss at Penn State… collected first career solo tackle in 26-16 win over Michigan State… played in 13 games… letterwinner … earned the Hawkeye Excellence Engage Award as part of the Iowa Challenge Awards … earned the Presidential Committee on Athletics Academic Award … involved in the community while participating in 65 hours of community service, including running a talent show, academic skill development workshops, mentoring, financial literacy and decision-making workshops and civic engagement outreach … also spent volunteer opportunities with the Community Food Bank, elementary schools, Dance Marathon, Stead Family Children’s Hospital and Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity … representative on the Iowa Student-Athlete Advisory Committee … nominated to represent Iowa at the Black Student-Athlete Summit.
2022 Redshirt Sophomore (at Iowa):
As a redshirt sophomore, listed as second team right cornerback following spring practice… saw action in just one game due to injury.
2021 Redshirt First-Year (at Iowa):
Did not see any game action.
2020 First-Year (at Iowa):
Redshirted … did not see any game action.
High School:
Played three years of varsity football for Head Coach Jermain Crowell at Belleville High School … Earned Division 1 First-Team All-State honors as a senior … Played defensive back and wide receiver at Belleville … served as team captain as a senior … prep team won back-to back conference titles as a junior and senior… helped prep team advance to state playoffs three straight years, including state semifinals as a junior and senior, while compiling a three-year combined mark of 34-3 … made 30 tackles, nine pass breakups, and one interception as a senior … 11 tackles and three pass breakups as a junior … ranked a three-star recruit by 247sports.com and On3.com and two-star recruit by Rivals.com … also lettered in track. Born Brendan Deasfernandes on August 21, 2002 … son of Sirfornia and Thomas Deasfernandes … involved in the community as an assistant youth coordinator/mentor in the Detroit Policy Athletic League.
As a redshirt senior defensive back, saw action in all 13 games and made nine starts at cornerback … moved from safety to cornerback in spring drills … listed as the starter on the depth chart at cornerback … concluded the year with 25 tackles (13 solo), two interceptions, and a team-high eight pass breakups … made at least one tackle in 12 of 13 games … finished with a career-high four pass breakups and two tackles in the GameAbove Sports Bowl vs. Northwestern (12/26) … tallied a season-high tying four tackles (two solo) in season finale vs. Toledo (11/29) … finished with three tackles and a pass breakup vs. Buffalo (11/12) … made two tackles at Western Michigan (11/1) … made a career-high tying four tackles (three solo) at Bowling Green (10/18) … made a tackle and pass breakup vs. Eastern Michigan (9/27) … had a pass breakup vs. Wagner (9/20) … intercepted pass, made two tackles (one solo) at Michigan (9/13) … made three tackles (one solo) at Pittsburgh (9/6) … intercepted pass in the end zone, broke up a pass, and made one tackle in season opener at San Jose State (8/29).
2024 Redshirt Senior (at Central Michigan):
As a redshirt senior defensive back, saw action in all 12 games with two starts at safety … also saw action on special teams … listed as either the starting and backup safety on the depth chart … earned Academic All-MAC honors … finished the year with 14 tackles (nine solo), 1.0 tackle for loss for one yard and a pass breakup … made three tackles vs. Western Michigan (11/13) … made a career-high five tackles (three solo) vs. Bowling Green (11/5) … made one tackle with a pass breakup at Illinois (9/14) … totaled two tackles at Florida International (9/7) … in season debut, made 1.0 tackle for loss vs. Central Connecticut State (8/29).
2023 Redshirt Junior (at Iowa):
As a redshirt junior, recorded first career assisted tackle for a loss of one yard in 41-10 win over Western Michigan… had first career punt return for no yards in 31-0 loss at Penn State… collected first career solo tackle in 26-16 win over Michigan State… played in 13 games… letterwinner … earned the Hawkeye Excellence Engage Award as part of the Iowa Challenge Awards … earned the Presidential Committee on Athletics Academic Award … involved in the community while participating in 65 hours of community service, including running a talent show, academic skill development workshops, mentoring, financial literacy and decision-making workshops and civic engagement outreach … also spent volunteer opportunities with the Community Food Bank, elementary schools, Dance Marathon, Stead Family Children’s Hospital and Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity … representative on the Iowa Student-Athlete Advisory Committee … nominated to represent Iowa at the Black Student-Athlete Summit.
2022 Redshirt Sophomore (at Iowa):
As a redshirt sophomore, listed as second team right cornerback following spring practice… saw action in just one game due to injury.
2021 Redshirt First-Year (at Iowa):
Did not see any game action.
2020 First-Year (at Iowa):
Redshirted … did not see any game action.
High School:
Played three years of varsity football for Head Coach Jermain Crowell at Belleville High School … Earned Division 1 First-Team All-State honors as a senior … Played defensive back and wide receiver at Belleville … served as team captain as a senior … prep team won back-to back conference titles as a junior and senior… helped prep team advance to state playoffs three straight years, including state semifinals as a junior and senior, while compiling a three-year combined mark of 34-3 … made 30 tackles, nine pass breakups, and one interception as a senior … 11 tackles and three pass breakups as a junior … ranked a three-star recruit by 247sports.com and On3.com and two-star recruit by Rivals.com … also lettered in track. Born Brendan Deasfernandes on August 21, 2002 … son of Sirfornia and Thomas Deasfernandes … involved in the community as an assistant youth coordinator/mentor in the Detroit Policy Athletic League.
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