Montaric Brown Tweets Top 7: Which School Best Fits 4-Star Safety?

After a quick glance at his Hudl highlight reel, the first thing that stands out with Ashdown, Arkansas, prospect Montaric Brown are the statistics that precede the actual highlights.

The intro to the tape reads 122 tackles and five interceptions for his junior year. Of those five picks, three were returned for touchdowns.

Those are ridiculous numbers for a safety, but Brown has shown himself as your better-than-average athlete, whether he's playing in the secondary or at wide receiver. Brown is listed as the top-ranked player in Arkansas, and he's ranked as a top-20 safety and a top-200 player overall in the 2017 class.

Tuesday afternoon, Brown announced his top seven via Twitter. At this time, the race will come down to the SEC and the Big 12.

"

My Top 7  pic.twitter.com/aESPKwJQvb

— Ｆｒｅｄｏ✈️ (@yvngsimba3) May 10, 2016"

At 6'1" and 175 pounds, Brown is a hard-hitting defender who has an excellent nose for where the football is. He makes a beeline to offensive players, and when he finds the ball-handler, he strikes with fury. Additionally, he plays larger than his 175-pound frame.

It's exactly what college defensive coaches are looking for in their players. The big question now involves which school best fits his playing style.

"

 pic.twitter.com/NJMjOkHo3W

— Ｆｒｅｄｏ✈️ (@yvngsimba3) May 10, 2016"

The generic answer is "all of them fit," but if Brown is looking to play in the SEC, Arkansas may be the best opportunity for him. Arkansas is the in-state school, and he has made the four-hour-plus trek to Fayetteville, Arkansas, a couple of times, including last month for the Red-White Spring Game.

Arkansas has signed two of the last three top-ranked in-state athletes in defensive end McTelvin Agim (2016) and defensive tackle Bijhon Jackson (2014). You can bet this is a tradition Razorbacks head coach Bret Bielema and his staff hope to continue with Brown.

"

 @So_Splash pic.twitter.com/sI16u5PnDr

— Ｆｒｅｄｏ✈️ (@yvngsimba3) March 5, 2016"

Arkansas currently has nine commitments in the 2017 class, but none of them are listed as safeties. Brown, if he were to commit today, would be the Razorbacks' first 4-star pledge of the class.

Alabama is the school believed to be Arkansas' main competitor in the race for Brown. Also with nine commitments in the 2017 class, the Crimson Tide are hoping to add more fuel to their recruiting fire with Brown, who would join 4-star safety Xavier McKinney if he committed.

"

Had A Awesome Visit At Alabama ! Also Met Nick Saban ⚪ @AlabamaFTBL pic.twitter.com/31AvZVJ6Uh

— Ｆｒｅｄｏ✈️ (@yvngsimba3) March 12, 2016"

Alabama already has the nation's No. 3 recruiting class for the 2017 cycle. Adding a player like Brown would help push the Crimson Tide to the No. 1 spot—a position the team has been used to since 2011.

The wild card of Brown's recruiting may involve Oklahoma, which is in the middle of one of its best recruiting runs in years this early in the process. Ten of the Sooners' 12 commits are 4-star players, and Brown would be a solid complement to 4-star safety pledge Robert Barnes.

The Sooners are ranked No. 2 behind Ohio State in 247Sports' 2017 team recruiting rankings. The idea of being a potential playmaker in a Big 12 conference that loves to throw the football—primarily Texas Tech, Baylor, Oklahoma State and TCU—can be very intriguing for any defensive back.

A decision date is expected to come Aug. 24, according to Otis Kirk of 247Sports. Brown told Kirk that he wanted to commit on his birthday.

"By committing on my birthday," Brown said, "this allows me to finalize the recruiting process this summer and focus on my academics and enjoy my senior season as we pursue the state title."

The winning school gets an athlete who not only can play passing situations well but also is an outstanding downfield tackler and someone who likes to deliver the big hit. Brown's quickness and explosiveness meshes well with his football IQ and instincts.

Look for him to be a player wherever he ends up. And look for the Razorbacks to put up a major fight against the reigning national champions and an Oklahoma team working toward arguably one of its best classes in years.

Damon Sayles is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite ratings. Follow Damon via Twitter: @DamonSayles