Brad Brachear
	Position: Graduate Assistant - Defense Experience: 2nd Season at NIU

Brad Brachear enters his second season as a graduate assistant at Northern Illinois, working with the Huskie defense and specifically the NIU defensive backs. He is in his fourth season under NIU head coach Jerry Kill as Brachear served as a graduate assistant for two seasons at Southern Illinois.

A member of the first American Football Coaches Association/NCAA Football Coaches Academy, Brachear graduated from Southern Illinois in 2006 with a bachelor's degree in chemistry. He is pursuing a master's degree in sport management from Northern Illinois.

Brachear also played for Kill at SIU where he was a four-year letterwinner as a defensive back from 2002-05. He was part of the 2004 Saluki defense that led the nation in scoring defense, allowing opponents just 13.2 points per game, and held opposing offenses to only 202.7 passing yards per game. With Brachear's contributions, the 2003 pass defense allowed opponents only 194.2 yards per game in the air and 306.6 yards per game overall.

The Harrisburg, Ill. native and Harrisburg High School graduate is married to the former Linza Scott.