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UCLA Football: NFL Draft Day Profiles-Jayon Brown Selected 155th by the Tennessee Titans

By Michael Chavez

Feb 4, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Steve Smith Sr., Cosmo DeNicola, UCLA Bruins linebacker Jayon Brown, and Leigh Steinberg pose for a photo during the Leigh Steinberg party at Hughes Manor. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 4, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Steve Smith Sr., Cosmo DeNicola, UCLA Bruins linebacker Jayon Brown, and Leigh Steinberg pose for a photo during the Leigh Steinberg party at Hughes Manor. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports /
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UCLA Football LB Jayon Brown was just selected in the 5th round by the Tennessee Titans. How does Brown fit the Titans specifically and how much can we expect to see him play as a rookie? Go Joe Bruin lets you know what to expect from this former Bruin standout as he enters the NFL.

BOOM!  Former UCLA football linebacker Jayon Brown has been selected 155th overall in the 2017 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans.

Brown had been a stalwart of the UCLA Football defense for the past two seasons and will now take his missile to the ball style of play to the Tennessee Titans who actually traded up to select Jayon in the fifth round.

I’m gonna tell you what to expect from Brown in this defense and how much we can expect to see of him in 2017.

Next: NFL Draft: Former Bruin DE Takkarist McKinley Fullfils Promise

Positives:

Brown is an intinctive, athletic, and versatile linebacker. He has enough bulk to take on and shed blocks but reads his keys so well that he often is through the hole before anyone can lay a hand on him.

He took over for Myles Jack in 2015 and really demonstrated that he was more than capable. A strong wrap up tackler who maintains solid leverage when taking ball carriers head on, Brown is viable in the box.

Against the pass is where Brown really shines. He has the loose hips and speed to stay with running backs out of the backfield on wheel routes and TE’s on drags across the middle of the field. That makes him a three down linebacker and guy you don’t sub out on third down. When you’re facing TE’s like Julius Thomas and Mercedes Lewis twice a year you need a guy like that.

Brown also played in both a 3-4 and 4-3 defense so we know he can do it and thrived in both.

Negatives:

Obviously he’s not the biggest guy on the field. That can lead to him being engulfed by offensive linemen who reach the second level. It also means there are times when he can’t shed his block until the ball carrier is beyond him.

While capable in the passing game, he doesn’t match up favorably with the taller TEs in the league and while fast doesn’t have elite speed.

Breakdown:

Brown will likely see most of his snaps on special teams and some third down work as well. Starting on special teams is not new to Brown who did it at UCLA and eventually evolved into a tackling machine. Built a lot like current Titans LB,10 year NFL veteran and soon to be mentor, Wesley Woodyard , Brown finds a way to win with his skillset and you can’t keep a guy like that off the field.