It’s no secret by now that Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide seem to churn out NFL talent like it’s an assembly line. They just broke school and SEC records by having a whopping 12 draft picks in the 2018 NFL Draft. Leading up to it, it sure looked like defensive back Tony Brown was going to be one.
But, for whatever reason, the speedy Brown slipped right through the cracks. 32 teams, and they all passed on spending a draft pick on the guy. Unsurprisingly, he had a ton of interest once the dust settled, and elected to sign with the Los Angeles Chargers.
What? Did everyone just think, “ah shit – we forgot about Tony Brown” or something?
Anyway, Anthony Lynn has some positive comments regarding Brown from Chargers rookie minicamp.
Head Coach Anthony Lynn is constantly asked at press conferences about the team’s players.
Yet his response to a query about undrafted free agent cornerback Tony Brown will certainly raise some eyebrows.
“It’s hard to tell after one practice, but I was just watching him out there at corner,” Lynn said about the Alabama product. “He can play some free safety as well. I thought he did fine. He’s picking up the system. He’s still learning (and) has a lot going on, but he’s a very gifted young man. Very talented. His skillset is off the charts.”
Obviously, the task is tall for any UDFA. But, the task might even be taller for Brown, because that Chargers secondary is one of the best secondaries in all of football, if not the absolute best. It sounds like he has a coach who is intrigued by his talent and will give him every opportunity to succeed, but man – that Chargers secondary is loaded with defensive backs.
Brown was a guy who made his bones in run support. The guy’s aggressive, has great speed and strength, and hits hard. But, he can’t cover at the NFL level. If he’s given a chance to develop, maybe it pans out for him. Or, if a team is willing to really work with him at free safety, then that could work as well.
But, it sounds like things are “so far, so good” from Lynn.
We’ll see – but I definitely thought Brown had NFL potential heading into the draft, and I expect he’ll find a spot somewhere in the NFL come Fall.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Alabama Crimson Tide football, the WWE, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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