Los Angeles Chargers undrafted rookie spotlight: CB Tony Brown
By Travis Wakeman
Following the NFL draft, the Los Angeles Chargers loaded up with 21 undrafted rookies. Perhaps none of those players will have as much hype as cornerback Tony Brown.
Brown comes to the NFL after playing for national powerhouse Alabama. Not many of Nick Saban’s players go undrafted, so the Chargers may have found some real value in this guy.
. CB. Tony Brown. 13. Scouting Report. Alabama. FA
NFL.com’s Lance Zeirlien certainly expected him to get drafted, having a grade between the fifth and sixth rounds on him.
Brown also participated in track while in high school, winning a silver medal in the 110-meter hurdles at the 2013 Pan American Junior Championships in Columbia. He ran a quick 4.35 40-yard dash at the scouting combine in February.
He played in 39 games at Alabama, registering 86 tackles and three interceptions. At the professional level, he figures to be a defensive back who is better at defending the run than the pass and a player who could contribute on special teams.
Brown’s college career also included some off-the-field issues, which may have contributed to him going undrafted. He was arrested in Tuscaloosa in January 2014 on charges of failure to obey and resisting arrest. He was also suspended and sent home while the team was preparing for the 2015 Cotton Bowl for starting a fight.
But on the field, Brown gets it done. When NFL Network aired its coverage of the combine, Brown caught the eye of legendary cornerback Deion Sanders, which was detailed here by Duane Rankin of the Montgomery Adviser.
Prior to the draft, Brown appeared on the Scoop B Radio Podcast with Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson. During that interview, Brown discussed Sanders being a fan, his draft prospects and his biggest fear in life. Listen to the full interview here.
My Take
I’ve seen many Chargers fans predicting that Brown will make the 53-man roster and that definitely makes sense. However, we must remember how deep the Chargers are in the secondary.
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The Chargers have Casey Hayward, Jason Verrett, Trevor Williams and Desmond King who are all clearly ahead of Brown on the depth chart, but an opportunity certainly exists beyond those four players with guys like Craig Mager and Michael Davis next up on the list. Brown could easily beat out both of those guys.
Look for Brown to be a key contributor on special teams for the Chargers this summer and expect him to make more plays against the run than he does against the pass.
The Chargers have an incredible record of