Brown is a 6-0, 200, Freshman running back from Sterling HS, Houston, TX. After running for more than a 1000 yards as a Sophomore and Junior, Brown's production dropped as a Senior to 848 yards with 15 TDs. What did increase was his yards per carry which was 13.7 ypc the highest since he had just 10 carries as a Freshman. His carries and yards may have dropped as a Senior, but his receiving jumped significantly with 1104 yards on 42 catches. Brown had 15 TDs on the ground and another 15 TDs receiving last year.
Brown has had a good camp and looks like he will make the running back rotation in our most talented group.
Here are some good summaries from Brandon Combs and Gabe Encinas at AZ Desert Swarm:
Brandon Combs:There is no other way to put it...landing Brown is a huge win for the Wildcats. The ‘Cats already have a big-time playmaker in the 2020 class with Oregon native Jalen John, and Brown just adds to an already strong backfield.
Brown was a guy that Gabe and I were very high on from the moment that Arizona offered him and he was always at the top of the board for us. There was a point in time where we weren’t sure where Arizona had him, but as soon as he took his official, we had no doubts.
Brown will need to add more muscle and strength, but don’t let that dissuade you. He is a straight baller. He is a very smooth, effortless runner and has amazing speed. It is very impressive to just watch him pull away from everyone on the field and glide into the end zone. Let’s also not forget that he can reach his top speed in a blink of the eye.
Not only is he a dynamic runner, but he is also extremely productive as a pass catcher. Brown has the versatility to play in the backfield or split out wide in the slot...and he is really good in the slot.
Gabe Encinas: Brown is an explosive player. He has effortless speed to go with great vision that allows him to weave between defenders and go the distance. He also shows great balance to stay up after contact. But what makes Brown even more appealing is his pass-catching abilities. He has the skill set to line up at receiver or catch out of the backfield, which bodes well for his playing time opportunities at Arizona.
I believe John has the potential to be one of the top three running backs of the last decade at Arizona with his blend of size and power. And while Brown has a similar skill set to both Smith and Wiley, I think he can easily work his way up the depth chart.
