Earnest Brown IV NFL Draft Overview
Position: Edge Defender
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 270 lbs.
School: Northwestern University
Earnest Brown IV 2021 NFL Draft Profile
Earnest Brown IV played at Northwestern University for all four years of his collegiate career, which began in 2017. The talented edge rusher chose the Wildcats over Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Baylor, and Texas, so as to have a greater chance of playing. Brown played in 11 games during his freshman season but contributed little in the way of production.
In 2018, he recorded seven and a half tackles for loss and four sacks. He also recovered a fumble for a touchdown against Nebraska. Brown finished the final four games of the 2018 season with six tackles for loss, including two and a half against Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship game.
His junior year was limited due to injury, so he only played in six games. But despite his limited availability in 2019, he finished with six tackles against Stanford. He also posted one and a half sacks and one and a half tackles for loss against UNLV. In the shortened 2020 season, the young edge rusher accrued 32 tackles, eight and a half tackles for loss, four deflections, one sack, a fumble recovery, and a defensive touchdown.
Throughout his 29-game career, Brown finished with 71 tackles, nine pass deflections, seven sacks, 18.5 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and a defensive touchdown.
Strengths
- Quick first-step off of the snap;
- Obtains and maintains leverage against blockers well;
- Able to change directions with adequate speed.
Weaknesses
- Struggles against the run;
- Often out-positioned;
- Can play high in his stance, exposing him against downfield blocking.
NFL Comparison: Deatrich Wise, Jr.
Teams With Need at the Position: Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, and Minneosta Vikings
Projection: Fifth-to-Sixth Round
Bottom Line on Earnest Brown IV
Brown boasts an uncanny ability to disrupt the game in coverage and brings prototypical size for his position to the table. As such, Brown will likely become a late-round pick, albeit an interesting one. Any given team in the NFL could select him and turn him into the next great defensive star. He has great size and is an outstanding next-level prospect. His growth and athleticism could take him far in the league.
The former Northwestern edge rusher will likely fit best in a 4-3 defensive system. The 6’5″, 270-pound edge rusher displays great speed for his size and has terrific movement skills as well. As such, he could end up as a defensive end on a four-man line or an outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme. His versatility allows for flexibility in terms of where he is used in the defensive front.
Whichever team selects Earnest Brown IV will get a terrific edge defender that can reasonably excel at the next level. It may have taken him time to show his skills at Northwestern, but Brown will make a great player in the league, especially with the right coaching. While he struggles against the run, Brown can make professional-level plays and has a great inside rush-move to get into the backfield. He plays with a consistent knee bend and uses his hands well to shed blocks. With the NFL boasting a ton of talent on the defensive line, Brown could become the next great player at his position. His skills from the college level should transfer well to the NFL.
So it took him some time to earn recognition. So what? His rate of development bodes well for his entry into the NFL ranks. As a result, Brown could end up a true steal in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Main Photo: Embed from Getty Images
