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One prospect who may interest the Denver Broncos in the first round is LB Arthur Brown. Brown a 6'1 230lbs linebacker is one of the more if not the most athletic linebackers in the draft. Brown is the younger brother of Philadelphia Eagles runner Bryce Brown. Brown ranks as the 4th rated Outside Linebacker by CBSSports and the 64th overall ranked player in the draft. Browns Pre-draft 40 time has been clocked at 4.62 seconds.
Bio:
Brown was a top recruit for the Miami Hurricanes but struggled early in his career. In two years at Miami he totaled 17 tackles. Brown then transfered to Kansas St and his career took off. In two years at Kansas St. he totaled 201 total tackles, 17 tackles for a loss, 3 sacks, 3 Ints, 1 defensive TD, and 9 passes deflected. In the 2012 season, Brown won the 2012 Big 12 Conference Defensive Player of the Year award, after totaling 91 tackles, 2 interceptions, six tackles for loss and one sack.
- 2012 All-America and All-Big 12 Candidate
- Bednarik Award Candidate
- Butkus Award Candidate
- Walter Camp Award Candidate
- Rotary Lombardi Award Candidate
- Bronko Nagurski Trophy Candidate
A very talented player who stepped up and became not only a team leader but also one of the top linebackers in the Big 12... A Preseason All-American and First Team All-Big 12 selection by Phil Steele and Athlon... Rated the nation's fourth-best inside linebacker heading into 2012 and named a Preseason All-Big 12 player by Lindy's... A two-time team captain.
2011: Earned honorable mention All-America honors from Sports Illustrated... Named First Team All-Big 12 by the league's coaches, Associated Press, Kansas City Star, Fort Worth Star-Telegram and Rivals.com, while he was named the Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year by the league's coaches, Associated Press, Kansas City Star, Fort Worth Star-Telegram and ESPN.com... Was a semifinalist for the Bednarik Award and was named to the watch lists for the Nagurski and Butkus Awards... Named the Midseason Defensive Player of the Year by ESPN.com and a first team midseason All-American by Phil Steele... Recorded a team-leading 101 tackles, including 9.5 for loss at two sacks... Was the first Wildcat to reach the 100-tackle mark since Brandon Archer in 2006... Finished eighth in the Big 12 in total tackles... Led team with seven tackles in season opener against Eastern Kentucky, including a half sack, and came back with a career-high 12 tackles, including a career-best 2.0 TFLs against Kent State... Registered six tackles, including a half TFL at Miami... Led team with eight tackles, including 1.5 sacks, against No. 15 Baylor... Recorded the first interception of the year on Heisman Trophy Winner Robert Griffin III, which led to the game-winning field goal... It was the only second-half interception thrown by Griffin III all year... Earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honors following the game against BU... Tallied at least five tackles in each of the final nine games, including a career-high tying 12 against Iowa State... Set new career best in solo tackles against the Cyclones with nine... Made six spots, including two for losses, in the Cotton Bowl.
Via: KStateSports.com
Draft Profile:
Overview:
The defensive newcomer of the year last season in the Big 12, Brown is one of the top senior linebackers in the nation and for the 2013 NFL Draft.
Originally signing with Miami (FL) out of high school, he was one of the highest recruited players in 2008 and chose the Hurricanes over offers from just about every other program in the country. Brown struggled to crack the starting lineup in his two seasons in South Beach, finishing his Hurricane career with only 17 tackles. Never quite fitting in at Miami, he moved back to his home state of Kansas, transferring to Kansas State.
After sitting out the 2010 season due to transfer rules, Brown had a stand-out junior campaign at middle linebacker in his first season with the Wildcats, totaling a team-best 101 tackles with 9.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and one interception.
Analysis:
Brown is a fluid and explosive athlete with very good range to be effective against both the run and the pass. Brown top instincts to sniff out the play and is quick to react, rarely missing tackles when he's in the area. He is undersized with short arms and lacks the growth potential to get much bigger, but he does a nice job avoiding and fighting through blocks. Brown will need to answer some maturity concerns, but he enters the 2012 season ranked as a top-75 draft pick for next April.
--Dane Brugler
Via: CBSSports.com
OVERVIEW
Brothers Arthur and Bryce Brown were top recruits coming out of Wichita East High School, Arthur as a linebacker signing with Miami (Fla.) in 2008 and his brother going to Tennessee as a running back in 2009. Neither finished their careers with those schools, however, as they chose to complete them in the same place –- Manhattan, Kansas, to play for head coach Bill Snyder. While Bryce’s contributions to the team were limited (three carries, 16 yards), Arthur became the impact player for which the Wildcats hoped.
He didn’t get much of a chance to play during his two years with the Hurricanes, getting in 23 contests (with no starts) and making just 17 tackles. Brown then redshirted his first season in Manhattan as a transfer student before starting all 13 games as a team captain in 2011. Named the Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year and first-team all-conference pick that same season, he racked up 101 tackles, 9.5 for loss, on the year. Against Baylor, Brown intercepted Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Robert Griffin III to set up the Wildcats’ game-winning field goal -– it was the only second-half interception RG3 threw all season. His success continued in 2012, as Brown started every game at either inside or outside linebacker, amassing 100 total tackles, seven for loss, including one sack. He added four pass breakups and two interceptions, one of which came against West Virginia's Geno Smith, the Mountaineer's first of the season. Brown was set to participate int eh Senior Bowl, but an injury kept him off the field.
ANALYSIS
STRENGTHS:
Instinctive player who usually finds the football and plays bigger than his height indicates. Strong, secure tackler who wraps and rarely misses, even against larger ballcarriers. Has the lower body power to stop backs’ momentum when head-up and brings power into his stops when attacking ballcarriers in space. Uses hands very well. Keeps feet moving through contact. Moves towards the play side even if formation is used as misdirection. Attacks fullbacks in the hole, and does not shy from contact with linemen in the box. Uses his hands to keep pulling guards at bay, but can also dip under their shoulder to avoid their reach. Adept in coverage, can get his hands on a slot receiver or tight end, yet still come off to run with a crosser. Keeps an eye on receivers running behind him, can stay with them across the field. Handles running backs in the flat and on wheel routes. Competitive on 50/50 balls. Consistently hustles from one sideline to the other. Shows some quickness through gaps as a blitzer.
WEAKNESSES:
Will be considered undersized for the inside linebacker position and doesn't have much room to grow into. Maturity questions were raised after transfer from Miami. Won't blow up blocker in front of him causing a log jam in the hole. Are times he overruns the hole due to poor vision, fails to recognize his misstake and reset.
NFL COMPARISON: NaVorro Bowman
BOTTOM LINE:
The brother of the Philadelphia Eagles' 2012 seventh-round draft pick, running back Bryce Brown, transferred from Miami (Fla.) to see the field more regularly. It didn't take long for Arthur to make an impact at Kansas State and became the Wildcats' most consistent force on the defensive side of the ball during his tenure in Manhattan. Some will question his size, but Brown plays much bigger than his frame suggests due to strong hands and a physical attitude on contact. He projects as either an inside linebacker or weak-side prospect in the NFL.
Via: NFL.com
Prospect: Arthur Brown, LB, Kansas State
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 230
Grade: 7.3
Scouting Report:
Athleticism:
+Shows great speed for the position, could clock in in the low 4.5′s at the NFL combine.
+Fantastic balance, able to start and stop, changes directions fluidly.
+Good overall strength profile in upper and lower body, powerful through his mid-section.
+Shows plus leaping ability, explosive athlete both vertically and laterally.
-At barely 230 pounds, will be a bit undersized at linebacker.
Run Support:
+Solid tackling fundamentals, wraps up and finishes.
+Reads the play as quick as any player in this draft class.
+Takes excellent angles to the ball, able to make up for bad ones with his athleticism.
+Stacks and sheds better than his size should allow – doesn’t stay blocked.
+Keeps clean by using strong, violent hands.
+Speed and instincts get him to the spot before blockers are in position.
+Keeps his pad level down and isn’t afraid of taking on lead blockers in the hole.
-Will occasionally try to tackle ball-carriers too high.
Coverage:
+Smooth back-pedal, can flip, turn and run.
+Reads the eyes of the quarterback, breaks quickly in zone.
+Used as a "spy" on multiple occasions against very mobile QB’s – Robert Griffin III for example.
+Fluid hips, able to stick with TE in coverage.
+Decent ball skills, makes the catches he should.
-Sucks up in play action at times, but often uses athleticism to get back into position.
Blitzing:
+Has shown the ability to bull-rush much bigger linemen.
-Not asked to rush the passer on a consistent basis.
Leadership/Intelligence:
+One of the most instinctual linebackers I’ve scouted – seems to recognize the play instantly.
+Two time team-captain for the Wildcats.
+Disciplined player, rarely out of position or caught freelancing.
+Renowned film room junkie, coaches praise his work ethic.
Overall:
Arthur Brown, despite weighing less than some wide receivers at 230 pounds, is one of the most physically impressive prospects that we’ve seen. His speed, acceleration and burst allow him to make up for small mistakes in an angle or a read that other linebackers just can’t get away with.
Brown could be scheme-limited in the NFL. I don’t see a place for him on a pure 3-4 team, while some 4-3 teams might only look at him as a weakside "Will" linebacker unless they have some massive defensive tackles. He flows well to the ball and has speed to cover the whole field, so I do think the outside linebacker spot will work for him in the NFL.
That said, I don’t think you can discount what Brown has done at the inside linebacker position. He is undersized, but he plays like he weighs 250. He gets off blocks, blows up lead blockers, and refuses to back down from players 100 pounds his senior.
Add in some above average coverage skills and you have a three-down linebacker that will come in and contribute as a rookie. I will be shocked if Brown makes it out of the top fifty picks come the 2013 NFL Draft, and won’t be surprised at all if he is the first linebacker chosen over Manti Te’o, Alec Ogletree or Kevin Minter.
Via: nepatriotsdraft.com
Videos:
Arthur Browns big hit on Trey Metoyer
My Take:
I'm always a big fan of fast athletic linebackers. I think he would fit in well with the Broncos, but he would have to play Inside Linebacker. I dont expect seeing Woodyard shifted inside, and unless Nate Irving impresses, Inside linebacker will be a need for the Broncos. He probably projects as a Weakside linebacker, but Fox has had success with Jon Beason who's about the same height and weight as Brown. So we'll see. I am excited about this kid, and his athleticism will be fun to watch at the combine.