Orlando Brown, Mark Andrews continue to show themselves as stars in the NFL

A look at former Sooners Mark Andrews and Orlando Brown and how their careers have taken fairly similar paths to success.

Sometimes the sport of football lends itself to cool moments that don’t seem that amazing until you look back on them years later. For a pair of Oklahoma Sooners in the NFL, this couldn’t be more true.

Former Oklahoma Sooners Orlando Brown and Mark Andrews had highly successful college careers and have taken a leap into full-on NFL stardom.

Brown is a three-time NFL Pro Bowler, and Andrews is a two-time Pro-Bowler. The Baltimore Ravens tight end made his first All-Pro team (first team) in 2021.

Both of these men go way back. They were a part of the 2014 recruiting class that stands as one of Bob Stoops’ last recruiting classes as the Sooners’ head coach. They were also built by Jerry Schmidt, who left for Texas A&M after Stoops retired and returned to Norman with Brent Venables’ hiring.

The symmetry of their careers is kind of crazy. They were part of the same recruiting class. They were drafted in the third round of the 2018 NFL draft by the Baltimore Ravens.

Brown was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs and is tasked with protecting arguably the most talented quarterback in the NFL, Patrick Mahomes. Wherever Brown’s been in his short NFL career, he’s done well.

Orlando Brown is becoming as consistent of a player as there is at one of the most challenging positions in the NFL.

Back in Baltimore, Mark Andrews became the starting tight end for the Ravens despite former teammate tight end Hayden Hurst being selected in the first round in the same draft class.

Andrews has proven to be one of the league’s three best tight ends in the NFL. Only Kansas City Chiefs  Travis Kelce and San Francisco’s George Kittle are in the discussion for the best tight end in the NFL.

Andrews’ versatility, reliability, and knack for getting open as the number one option for Lamar Jackson have netted him plenty of touchdown opportunities. Like Brown, he’s becoming the model of consistency and a staple of his team year in and year out.

These two Sooners look poised to continue their stellar NFL careers for years to come and have proven themselves to be terrific on and off the field. When their careers are over, both can look back at the journey they’ve been on together and hold their heads high for all they will have accomplished.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.