UCLA Football: NFL Draft Profiles-LB Jayon Brown

Continuing with our 2017 NFL Draft Profiles, Go Joe Bruin next takes a look at UCLA Football linebacker Jayon Brown.

The UCLA Football faithful have been spoiled when it comes to linebackers and the NFL Draft the past few years.

First there was Anthony Barr who took out years of Bruin frustration against Matt Barkley. We follow that up with absolute stud Erik Kendricks who tackled everything in sight and then took those talents to the NFL where he just continued to destroy ball carriers along with Barr.

Most recently the Bruin faithful were blessed to watch the all-world talent that was Myles Jack who took his amazing UCLA career and ran with it all the way to the NFL where he is now punishing the AFC South.

The latest Bruin to dominate the linebacker position and look to take the next step to the NFL is Jayon Brown.

Positives

Brown is listed at 6’0, 230lbs which is baseline for an NFL linebacker. He’s a fast-flowing, hit and run linebacker that would fit perfectly as a traditional weak side linebacker in a 4-3 scheme.

However because Brown has such impressive speed and athleticism for his position, he could find a home on a team that plays the majority of their defensive snaps out of the nickel (which is chunk of teams in the league) and never have to come off the field. Linebackers who can cover are at a premium in the league currently with no signs that the trend of guys who can cover and play the run will reverse itself.

Not to mention he’s a standout on special teams which will be key at the next level when there are only so many snaps to be had on defense.

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In his final two seasons as a Bruin, Brown recorded 212 total tackles but just as important in today’s NFL, had 15 passes defended and three interceptions.

Instinctive and agile while being more than willing to bloody his nose in the run game, Brown reminds me a lot of current Tampa Bay Buccaneers LB Lavonte David not just in terms of size but in the way that they both play the game and the way neither one ever comes off the field.

Negatives

Remember when I said Brown had baseline size? It wouldn’t surprise me to see him come in under that listed six feet. While that isn’t a death blow to his NFL chances, it won’t help his case.

Brown has above average athleticism for his position but does struggle to get off blocks and can often get engulfed by offensive linemen.

While he has made his share of big hits, he could often be found dragging ball carriers down. While a tackle is a tackle, you’d like to see him be able to stop ball carriers in their tracks more often.

Also working against Brown is his lack of position versatility. At this point he’s going to have to prove it on special teams, which he is more than capable of, and essentially be relegated to the weakside unless he can improve take on strength and learn to shed blocks better.

Even though he did see some time in the middle of UCLA’s defense, his size and ability (at this point) to take on blocks might be too much of a liability to trust him in that role at the next level.

I don’t expect for Brown to be taken before the third day of the draft unless he absolutely wrecks it at the NFL Combine in the next few days. However even if he blows it out of the water there are tons of guys who have three or four years worth of tape versus his two years.

Final Analysis and Prediction

Jayon Brown is a heady, instinctive, active and athletic linebacker who could thrive in today’s NFL and would be an early round selection if he were just an inch or two taller.

Next: NFL Draft Profiles-Connor McDermott

He will have to earn his keep on special teams which he did at UCLA despite being a starter on defense and could eventually earn defensive snaps although becoming a starter at the next level might be harder to come by.

Projected Team Pick-Tennessee Titans