By Charlie Campbell
Weaknesses:
Summary: Players with Brown’s combination of size and athleticism are always going to attract the attention of NFL scouts even if they are coming out of a small school or have an injury history. Brown is a late blower who started out playing eight-man football in high school as a defensive end. He then was a tight end initially at Northern Iowa before redshirting to get stronger and develop at offensive tackle. Brown was a starter at right tackle in 2018 and 2019, showing off his good skill set. He could have returned to Northern Iowa, but instead opted to play in the Senior Bowl and enter the 2021 NFL Draft.
As a pass blocker, Brown is tough for edge rushers to beat. He has quick feet, athleticism and excellent length that combine to make him tough to get around. Brown uses his feet to get depth in his drop, and his long arms keep pass rushers from getting around him. His length really ties up edge rushers, and they struggle to get free from him once he engages them. One can see Brown’s unique athleticism for a big blocker, as he is able to bend at the knee and shows the agility to glide along the edge. Like many tall linemen, Brown gets in trouble when he stands up too high. He also can overset some times, but that is something he can fix with pro coaching.
Brown really gets after defenders in the ground game, and he has a physical mentality, looking to finish them off with violence. Brown has developed strength and uses his length to tie up defenders. He twists, turns and manipulates his man to keep them from getting in on tackles. Brown also shows the quickness and athleticism on kickout blocks or firing to the second level. He could stand to get in more control in the open field, but the skill set is there. Brown has the strength to function in a power-man-blocking scheme, and the athleticism to work in zone.
Team sources said that Brown is a great kid, and they have given him rave reviews for his character. They feel he is a project and needs development, putting his best football a few years down the road. They believe he will need a patient approach and should not be forced onto the field quickly, but they think he could eventually become a good pro edge blocker. Teams are projecting Brown to right tackle at the next level. Brown could be a second-day pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and has an outside chance of sneaking into the first round.
Player Comparison: Jeremy Trueblood. Brown reminds me of a slightly more athletic version of Trueblood. Trueblood (6-8, 320) was a second-round pick in 2006 and turned into a quality right tackle in the NFL. Both Brown and Trueblood had a feisty attitude and a similar weakness in standing up too high at times. In the NFL, I could see Brown being similar or slightly better version of Trueblood.
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