By Kyle Silagyi / Billswire.usatoday.com
Almost as exciting as the NFL Draft itself are the months leading up to the annual event. Players who were once thought to be day two picks can often cement themselves as first-round locks thanks to a strong combine performance and an impressive round of interviews.
Oklahoma wide receiver Marquise Brown is a player who could shoot up draft boards in the coming months. Widely looked at as a second day pick throughout the 2018 season, Brown has started to sneak into the first round of many mock drafts.
According to NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah, Brown could climb all the way to pick No. 9 on his ascent up the board. During a recent exchange on Twitter, Jeremiah wrote that the Buffalo Bills could realistically use their top-ten pick on the speedy wideout.
Described by Jeremiah as a “DeSean Jackson clone,” Brown has also been compared to Kansas City Chiefs’ wideout Tyreek Hill by a number of draft analysts. Compare him to whoever you want – this guy’s fast.
At just 5-foot-10, 170 pounds, Brown’s not a “go up and get it” type receiver. Instead, he excels at simply running past defensive backs, beating coverage with his speed instead of size.
Throughout his 2 years at Oklahoma, Brown reeled in 132 passes for 2,413 yards and 17 touchdowns – good for an average reception of 18.3 yards. If you’re wondering why he only spent two years with the Sooners, well, you’re just scratching the surface of why he would be a perfect fit with the Bills.
Brown wasn’t heavily recruited coming out of high school. He received zero scholarship offers from division one schools, per Sports Illustrated’s Michael McKnight. Not willing to give up on his dream, Brown went the junior college route, playing wideout at the College of the Canyons while also serving as a ride operator at Six Flags Magic Mountain.
Once he received the opportunity to play at the FBS level, he seized it, leading Oklahoma in receiving yards in both of his years with the team.
At a time when most would simply give up on their dream, Brown worked harder. In Buffalo, general manager Brandon Beane and head coach Sean McDermott are trying to build a blue-collar culture, a roster full of team-first players who embrace each other and the city that they play in. The ever-humble Brown would certainly be a fit.
We’ve yet to even mention how Brown would gel in the Bills’ offense, and the answer to that question may be “flawlessly.” Buffalo has a quarterback who can chuck the ball 80 yards down the field with ease; adding a wideout who can quickly get down the field wouldn’t be a bad idea.
Though Brown would certainly be a valuable addition to the Bills’ roster, selecting him at pick No. 9 seems to be a bit far-fetched at this point. However, we’re still incredibly early in the draft process. Brown’s a prime candidate to break out at the combine, and if he impresses Buffalo’s brass with his strong character, the Bills may have no choice but to grab him when they can.