The Kansas City Chiefs know their pending free agent situation and a potential suspension of Rashee Rice in 2025 leaves the team needing several new pass catchers.
The upcoming draft features more than two dozen wide receivers with enough talent to make NFL rosters, one of whom is Miami Hurricanes pass catcher Sam Brown.
Brown’s combination of size and athletic traits make him one of the most intriguing prospects and a potential top-100 selection.
Listed at 6-foot-2 inches tall and 195 pounds, Brown possesses similar size to Rice and is a significant threat after the catch. Pro Football Focus (PFF) credits Rice with generating roughly 69.9% of his total yards in 2023 after the catch. About 49.8% of Brown’s total yards in 2023 came after the catch, and he broke more tackles than his Kansas City counterpart.
Brown’s effectiveness after the catch traces back to his sudden burst and elusiveness. He accelerates quickly to pull away from trailing defenders and uses sharp jump cuts to elude tacklers. Brown’s elusiveness is impressive for a player his size, and he can find hidden yardage by breaking through arms tackles and overpowering defensive backs.
Can see why @dpbrugler is so bullish on new Miami WR Sam Brown. Dynamic athlete who can create chunk plays after the catch.
Brown is just one of four returning P4 WRs who averaged 6.7+ YAC per reception and had 7+ contested catches last season. pic.twitter.com/dOWeDCY5pC
— Bobby Football (@Rob__Paul) July 19, 2024
Brown lacks elite speed, but his athleticism and burst make him a player NFL offenses should scheme touches. The redshirt senior needs to refine his release package, but he also creates opportunities downfield.
Brown’s acceleration helps him stack cornerbacks on downfield routes. His head fakes and stutter-go route get defensive backs to bite. Brown struggles to get off the line cleanly against press coverage and creates inconsistent separation against tight man coverage. His route tree is still developing, which makes him a prime candidate for schemed touches and low depth of target throws.
Brown’s long arms make him a reliable option against tight coverage. Per PFF, he hauled in 50-percent or more of his contested catch opportunities in 2022 and 2023. His impressive vertical leap and ball tracking outclass defensive backs at the catch point.
The Hurricanes play South Florida on Saturday, Sept. 21 at 7:00 p.m.