Brown Turning Heads at Senior Bowl Practices

pack_in_the_nflLooks like Andre Brown is starting to get noticed in the run-up to the Senior Bowl:

Wednesday Practice Notes: Brown had a very solid afternoon.  He ran well inside the tackles, hitting the holes with authority.  Also showed good speed getting to the edge and picking up some yardage outside the hash marks.

As for Anthony Hill

Caught the ball well again today in both receiving drills and scrimmage work.  Handled his man more often than not in 1-on-1 pass blocking drills with the linebackers.

ESPN.com’s Todd McShay is a lot more effusive in his praise of Brown, saying that

North Carolina State RB Andre Brown has admittedly had durability and academic issues, but he’s healthy now and shining in this environment. In fact, of all the South backs we saw Wednesday, he made the best impression. Brown is a decisive downhill runner who has good size, shows good burst to the hole and runs with enough forward body lean to pick up yards after contact. Although he’s not the most elusive back, he catches the ball well and can contribute as a receiver out of the backfield. We now think he has a chance to come off the board early on Day 2 of the draft, and that’s noteworthy because he didn’t put up great numbers in college.

Bringing up Brown’s stats is interesting for several reasons: first, he never had a decent line to run behind until this year, and this year’s OL group is hardly one of Tom O’Brien’s vintage groups. TOB and staff are still building their OL factory and it is far from complete. Secondly, Brown has always shared duties in the backfield, first with Toney Baker, and later with Jamelle Eugene. Finally, Brown needed some good coaching, which he got over the past couple of seasons. Early in his career, it would be fair to say that Brown was more interested in bouncing off the line and free-lancing than he was in getting the three or four tough yards. While he hit a number of spectacular home runs, he certainly was not a posession back in the classical sense. Dana Bible and his offensive staff turned Brown’s compass to N-S and probably made him into a legit pro prospect. For Brown, it’s too bad that didn’t happen his freshman year. In short, I wouldn’t look to closely at his final stat page as being representative of the true sum of his abilities.

My personal prediction for Andre Brown is that he will be the sort of back that doesn’t get noticed in the draft but after a couple of years when he gets used to playing in the NFL, he’s going to have a lot of GM’s scratching their heads and wondering why they didn’t draft him when they had the chance.  While Brown is not a sure thing, he’s a tough, versatile runner and one who can not only deliver a blow, but also one who is probably not going to be taken down by the first guy that hits him.  If (and it is a big if) Dre stays healthy, and gets on the right team, I think we will certainly be hearing his name in the highlights most weeks.

'08 Football Alums General

63 Responses to Brown Turning Heads at Senior Bowl Practices

  1. YANCSSB 01/22/2009 at 12:55 PM #

    Any ideas on what “academic issues” McShay is referring to? I couldn’t find any evidence of it looking back through Andre’s bio.

  2. Noah 01/22/2009 at 12:59 PM #

    Andre Brown is going to be a good player in the NFL.

    I’m assuming that McShay saw that he didn’t qualify immediately out of high school and threw that in.

  3. Texpack 01/22/2009 at 1:27 PM #

    My hope is that this will be reason three for State Fans to love the Houston Texans. I think he fits the Denver/Houston running game and the Texans are looking for a bigger back than Steve Slaton to share the load with him next year. Don’t be shocked if Andre Brown ends up in H-town.

  4. Gene 01/22/2009 at 1:31 PM #

    I think Anthony Hill may surprise people. He’s a huge target with good hands, but due to injuries had issues seeing time in college.

  5. pakfanistan 01/22/2009 at 1:33 PM #

    You don’t really see Anthony Hill and good hands together in the same sentence that often.

  6. TOBtime 01/22/2009 at 1:37 PM #

    ^Same question on the academic issues. At one time he was All-ACC academic.
    Of course the guy didn’t put up great numbers in college. How about a line to give credit to the fact that what he did put up was with atrocious blocking from the O-line and splitting time with other backs? I hope he ends up in San Diego.
    I see that Ant Hill not being able to catch anything unless it hits him in the chest is getting noticed.

  7. Rick 01/22/2009 at 2:02 PM #

    “You don’t really see Anthony Hill and good hands together in the same sentence that often.”

    Unless it reads “Good lands, does Anthony Hill even have hands?”

  8. BJD95 01/22/2009 at 2:08 PM #

    Especially in the last 5-10 years, NFL teams have changed how they evaluate RBs. They view RBs as having a certain number of carries (max) in the tank before they are ready for the glue factory. I think this logically bears out, and is why you see players like Eddie George, Shaun Alexander, Edgerrin James, and now LT going from “dominant” to “mediocre at best” in seemingly the blink of an eye.

    Thus, the fact that Brown didn’t get a huge number of carries in college is actually a positive for him.

  9. packpigskinfan23 01/22/2009 at 2:19 PM #

    Andre does not have any academic issues, I can assure you of that. I have been in group projects with Andre about 3 times, and I have never seen an athlete in any of my classes put as much effort into work as Andre has. He is the type of guy who needs some motivation to do his work, but once he gets that… he does great work. I hope the guy makes it big! I too would love to see him play in Houston/SD or maybe even SanFran.

  10. RickJ 01/22/2009 at 2:34 PM #

    I believe we will miss Ant Hill next year more than any other player we lose. A TE can be a devastating run blocker all day long and drop one pass and everyone thinks he had a terrible game. Bryan is great but the next two in line are Kushner & Carter and both are coming off ACL injuries.

  11. Pack Leader 01/22/2009 at 2:58 PM #

    We will be fine at TE. We have Bryan who is a STUD to take Ant Hills place, Carter and kushner backing him up are very good options (i know they have been hurt but Carter was one of the top TE in the nation before he got hurt so we know he has the ability) and we just signed Asa Watson one of the top 10 TE in the country. TE is the least of our worries. what about DT or DB???? hope we can deveolp some good talent

  12. RickJ 01/22/2009 at 3:05 PM #

    ^Asa Watson is 215 lbs. I really hope he can redshirt – he is potentially a great TE / H-Back.

  13. ChiefJoJo 01/22/2009 at 3:08 PM #

    Glad SFN picked this up. He has very good size, decent speed, and can block and catches passes pretty well. On top of that he has stepped up and become a team leader this past year, which should help his character evaluation. If he continues to practice & plays well this week, and doesn’t hurt himself at the combine or Pro Day, all it takes is one team to fall in love with him (a la AJ Smith and Rivers) and he could go on the first day.

    It’s funny how the NFL scouts literally break these guys down & nitpick to the Nth degree. I know Andre may not run a 4.4, but he looked damn fast outrunning a pretty fast FSU defense in his freshman year. I think Andre is going to be a productive NFL back if he gets an opportunity.

  14. packalum44 01/22/2009 at 3:20 PM #

    Both Hill and Brown will be solid NFL players and represent NC State well. I hope to them in the stands at a few games next year as well! Both love NC State.

    Although Hill is an average receiver, his physical attributes mitigate this weakness. Not to mention untimely injuries hampered his development. He will be coached up and will be solid, maybe Pro-Bowl material.

  15. whitefang 01/22/2009 at 3:32 PM #

    Brown got to State 2 years too early.

  16. YANCSSB 01/22/2009 at 4:35 PM #

    Brown got to State 2 years too early.

    I feel this way even moreso regarding Mike Glennon.

  17. tobaccordshow 01/22/2009 at 4:40 PM #

    “Secondly, Brown has always shared duties in the backfield, first with Toney Brown”

    Toney Baker!

  18. PAJ 01/22/2009 at 4:53 PM #

    I think Brown’s foot injury has cost him a bit of speed.

    If ESPN can turn Philip Rivers into a trash talking hothead, then it shouldn’t be a stretch for them to tag Andre Brown with academic issues. ESPN sucks!

  19. BJD95 01/22/2009 at 5:39 PM #

    Uh, Rivers has always been a trash talker. It was something that the “out to get NC State” never really reported.

    I remember seeing one of our DBs interviewed (maybe Terrence Holt?) And when asked to name the biggest trash talker he encountered, he said “Philip Rivers”.

    That’s not a big deal. Many outgoing, highly competitive athletes are big trash talkers. It’s not given or taken personally.

  20. BJD95 01/22/2009 at 5:43 PM #

    Meant to say “out to get NC State media” above.

    I kind of get cracked up about our continuing black helicopter complex (at one time it was warranted, not anymore). For another example, I don’t recall any local media pointing out Sid losing more consecutive ACC games than any coach in NC State history. Hell, I didn’t even know that until it was pointed out in our comments!

  21. BSIE80 01/22/2009 at 6:52 PM #

    RB’s success in the NFL are difficult to predict. These guys get used up pretty easily. It really says a ton about how great Walter Payton, Emmitt Smith, Jim Brown, and even OJ were.
    Hopefully, Brown can get the right opportunity, split time with another back and have a 5 year career in the NFL.
    A Ted Brown NFL career would be excellent….

  22. Noah 01/22/2009 at 7:05 PM #

    Ted Brown was a disappointment as an NFL back, but yeah, if you were a fourth or fifth-round pick, you’d definitely take it!

    George bryan will be a better TE here at NC State than Hill.

  23. packnwilm 01/22/2009 at 7:45 PM #

    Kudos to Andre and Anthony, but I’m just excited Nate Irving is coming back.

  24. BJD95 01/22/2009 at 7:49 PM #

    As a viewer, it’s harder to tell what kind of blocker Bryan is. He certainly does run routes well and has exceptional hands. He will be a very valuable safety valve for Wilson next year.

    What kind of special teams potential do Brown and Hill have? Most Day 2 picks are expected to contribute in that area.

  25. wufpup76 01/22/2009 at 7:51 PM #

    There is a black helicopter hovering over my head RIGHT NOW!!!

    (I did go to STATE after all)

    Go get ’em Andre and Anthony (and watch out for those pesky helicopters)

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