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Introduction
Arthur Brown is, in my opinion, the best linebacker in this draft, at either the inside or outside positions. He is from Kansas State University. Born in Wichita, Kansas, Brown is the brother to running back Bryce Brown, who now plays for the Philadelphia Eagles. Brown is known for his quiet temperament, and was nicknamed "The Judge" by his teammates because he "prefers to speak through his actions." Brown was the 2012 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. He is a high character player that struggled at the University of Miami after being a Five Star Recruit out of high school, before transferring to Kansas State and reviving his career.
Measurables
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 241 pounds
Arm Length: 33 1/2 inches
Statistics
| Tackles | Defensive Int - Fumbles | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | Solo | Ast | Tot | Loss | Sk | Int | Yds | Avg | TD | PD | FR | Yds | TD | FF |
| 2008 | Miami | ACC | FR | LB | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2009 | Miami | ACC | SO | LB | 8 | 5 | 13 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2011 | Kansas State | Big 12 | JR | LB | 57 | 44 | 101 | 9.5 | 2.0 | 1 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2012 | Kansas State | Big 12 | SR | LB | 65 | 35 | 100 | 7.0 | 1.0 | 2 | 37 | 18.5 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 132 | 86 | 218 | 17.0 | 3.0 | 3 | 47 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
Positives
- Top-notch play-recognition.
- Form tackler.
- Excellent in space.
- Very instinctive.
- Explosive player.
- Incredible sideline-to-sideline speed.
- Can stop the run, drop into coverage, and blitz (although this isn't his best trait).
- Plays bigger and faster than he looks. Brown is short, but he is not small.
Negatives
- Is a little undersized for his position (although, as I said above, he plays much bigger than he is).
- Is coming off a shoulder injury.
- Isn't a playmaker in the sense that he doesn't have a history of forcing fumbles or intercepting the ball frequently.
- Initially had some maturity concerns after his transfer from Miami to Kansas State.
Conclusion
Brown will likely be drafted in the second half of the first round. If the New York Jets are able to trade back in the first round, they should seriously consider Brown, especially if they are planning a transition to more 4-3 looks. A tandem of Demario Davis and Arthur Brown would have the potential to be one of the best in the league, and certainly one of the fastest. Brown has received comparisons of Daryl Richardson and NaVorro Bowman. He can play either middle linebacker or weakside linebacker in a 4-3 defense, but could also play as an inside linebacker in a 3-4 defense. As I stated in the introduction, I consider Brown to be the best linebacker in this draft, as he could be a Day One starter and has the potential to be a Top Five linebacker in the league. He is extremely well-rounded and I am in love with his sideline-to-sideline speed, play recognition skills, and form tackling.