Eastern Michigan Athletics
Llewellyn Ready for a Fresh Start in Year Two at Eastern
8/14/2025 2:14:00 PM | Football
Senior defensive back returns healthy, fueled by a revamped offseason routine
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YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — Bryce Llewellyn doesn't need much time to sum up how he feels about heading into his second season at Eastern Michigan.
"Man, I'm ecstatic to get back on the field with the guys and prove what we can do," the senior defensive back said. "Prove the world wrong, prove ourselves right."
Llewellyn believes the Eagles have something special brewing. "I know it's going to shock a lot of people," he said. "But it won't shock us when the time comes and we get to show how we can play and who we are as a team."
His first year in Ypsilanti didn't go as planned. A pulled hamstring in fall camp and a broken big toe kept him out for the first half of the 2024 season, limiting him to just four games. "If I had to grade it, I'd probably give myself a failing grade," Llewellyn said. "I still played, but I didn't really max out or get to my potential. I was battling injury, trying to get back in the lineup. I'm excited to get back in my groove and have fall camp be a stepping stone into a great season."
This offseason, Llewellyn tried something new — hot yoga and Pilates — after advice from his father to adjust when setbacks happen. "If we have a hard workout, I'll do hot yoga in the afternoon. If we have an off day, I'll go do Pilates," he said. "Pilates works on ligaments and small muscles and joints — stuff you wouldn't think about — but it's making me stronger overall."
The yoga sessions are no joke. "It's about 100 degrees in there every time I go in," Llewellyn said. "Plus the humidity, plus 30 other people in there. It gets pretty hot."
His path to Eastern started in Indianapolis, wound through Charleston Southern, and was shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic. "COVID hit in 2020, and for my class that was huge," he said. "They gave seniors a sixth year, which took a lot of offers away. I had PWO offers at Notre Dame, Ohio State, Louisville, but my parents paid for private high school, so the return for them was getting college paid for. I took the FCS route with the goal of transferring up. Did two years at CSU and came here in spring 2023. It's been a blessing ever since."
He's also made an impression off the field, co-hosting the Ypsi Awards — Eastern's student-athlete awards — after volunteering on short notice. "I told Grace, 'If nobody volunteers, just put my name down. I got you.' Three days later, she said, 'Bryce, you're hosting.' It was fun because I enjoy public speaking. Doing it with my friend Emma made it easier."
Llewellyn joked that if he ever did carpool karaoke again, he'd choose his best friend and safety teammate, Davion Williams. "It would turn into an actual concert for sure," he said.
Football runs in his blood. His father, Marlon, played at Ball State. His uncle, Autry Denson, played at Notre Dame and now coaches for the Arizona Cardinals. Another uncle, Junior Sisi, played at Eastern Illinois and coaches at American Heritage in Florida.
Though he played basketball growing up, Llewellyn knew where his future was. "I knew I was a football player at heart," he said. "By high school, I was like, let me not roll my ankle on a basketball court and just lock in on football."
This fall, he'll get his shot at a healthy, full season. "Last year didn't go the way I wanted," Llewellyn said. "But this is my chance to show who I really am as a player — and who we are as a team."
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — Bryce Llewellyn doesn't need much time to sum up how he feels about heading into his second season at Eastern Michigan.
"Man, I'm ecstatic to get back on the field with the guys and prove what we can do," the senior defensive back said. "Prove the world wrong, prove ourselves right."
Llewellyn believes the Eagles have something special brewing. "I know it's going to shock a lot of people," he said. "But it won't shock us when the time comes and we get to show how we can play and who we are as a team."
His first year in Ypsilanti didn't go as planned. A pulled hamstring in fall camp and a broken big toe kept him out for the first half of the 2024 season, limiting him to just four games. "If I had to grade it, I'd probably give myself a failing grade," Llewellyn said. "I still played, but I didn't really max out or get to my potential. I was battling injury, trying to get back in the lineup. I'm excited to get back in my groove and have fall camp be a stepping stone into a great season."
This offseason, Llewellyn tried something new — hot yoga and Pilates — after advice from his father to adjust when setbacks happen. "If we have a hard workout, I'll do hot yoga in the afternoon. If we have an off day, I'll go do Pilates," he said. "Pilates works on ligaments and small muscles and joints — stuff you wouldn't think about — but it's making me stronger overall."
The yoga sessions are no joke. "It's about 100 degrees in there every time I go in," Llewellyn said. "Plus the humidity, plus 30 other people in there. It gets pretty hot."
His path to Eastern started in Indianapolis, wound through Charleston Southern, and was shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic. "COVID hit in 2020, and for my class that was huge," he said. "They gave seniors a sixth year, which took a lot of offers away. I had PWO offers at Notre Dame, Ohio State, Louisville, but my parents paid for private high school, so the return for them was getting college paid for. I took the FCS route with the goal of transferring up. Did two years at CSU and came here in spring 2023. It's been a blessing ever since."
He's also made an impression off the field, co-hosting the Ypsi Awards — Eastern's student-athlete awards — after volunteering on short notice. "I told Grace, 'If nobody volunteers, just put my name down. I got you.' Three days later, she said, 'Bryce, you're hosting.' It was fun because I enjoy public speaking. Doing it with my friend Emma made it easier."
Llewellyn joked that if he ever did carpool karaoke again, he'd choose his best friend and safety teammate, Davion Williams. "It would turn into an actual concert for sure," he said.
Football runs in his blood. His father, Marlon, played at Ball State. His uncle, Autry Denson, played at Notre Dame and now coaches for the Arizona Cardinals. Another uncle, Junior Sisi, played at Eastern Illinois and coaches at American Heritage in Florida.
Though he played basketball growing up, Llewellyn knew where his future was. "I knew I was a football player at heart," he said. "By high school, I was like, let me not roll my ankle on a basketball court and just lock in on football."
This fall, he'll get his shot at a healthy, full season. "Last year didn't go the way I wanted," Llewellyn said. "But this is my chance to show who I really am as a player — and who we are as a team."
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