Braden Brown: 5 Things You Need to Know About the BYU OT

If there's one thing that's true in today's National Football League it's that you can never have too many quality offensive linemen.

While top-flight prospects such as Luke Joeckel of Texas A&M may hog the spotlight, you can rest assured that NFL teams have done their homework on lesser-known prospects as well.

Among those prospects is Brigham Young offensive tackle Braden Brown, who was a member of the FBS All-Independent team in 2012.

The 6'5", 310-pounder isn't exactly a household name, but we have you covered.

Here's a quick rundown on the things you need to know if you're curious as to what Brown can do for you.

Background

Hometown: Salt Lake City, Utah

High School: Highland High School (Salt Lake City, Utah)

Major: Exercise and Wellness

Year: Senior (fifth year)

A four-year starter at Judge Memorial and Highland High Schools, Braden Brown was named an All-State performer as a senior by the Salt Lake Tribune, according to BYU's website.

A 3-star recruit according to Rivals.com, Brown was ranked the 44th best tight end in the nation coming out of high school and the fourth-best football player at any position from the state of Utah.

Brown was recruited by Oregon, UCLA, Utah State, Washington and Washington State before choosing to stay in Utah and play at Brigham Young.

Statistics

Braden Brown actually arrived on campus at Brigham Young as a tight end, but after redshirting in 2008, Brown made the switch to the offensive line for his second season.

In 2009, Brown saw his first action for the Cougars, playing in all 13 games and making two starts at right tackle.

From there you couldn't get Brown off the field, as from 2010-2012 Brown made 39 consecutive starts at right tackle for BYU.

Draft Process

Measurables

Height: 6'5"

Weight: 310 pounds

Arm Length: 34.25"

Hand Size: 10.25" 

Combine Results

40-Yard Dash: 5.20 seconds

Bench Press: 26 reps

Broad Jump: 8'4"

Vertical Jump: 28" 

20-Yard Shuttle: 4.7 seconds

Three-Cone Drill: 7.43 seconds

Pro Day Results

Bench Press: 26 reps

Broad Jump: 8'10"

Vertical Jump: 28"

As one would expect from a converted tight end, Braden Brown flashed excellent athleticism at the 2013 NFL Scouting Combine, and Brown was able to improve on a less-than-ideal showing in the broad jump by a full half-foot at BYU's pro day.

Combine results courtesy of NFL.com

Pro day results courtesy of Walter Football

Interesting Facts

Now that we've examined the tale of the tape where Braden Brown is concerned, here's a look at some interesting facts regarding the young man, courtesy of BYU's website.

Brown is the older brother of BYU tight end Trevor Brown, and his older brother Wes was an Academic All-American basketball player at Westminster College.

Brown took part in a service project with Engage Now Service Expedition to Cuenca, Ecuador to help build a school and irrigation systems. While there, Brown taught young villagers how to play football.

Not only was Brown an All-State tight end his senior season in high school, but he also led the Highland Rams in tackles as a defensive end.

Observations

Here's what some leading draftniks had to say about Braden Brown leading up to the NFL draft.

In his scouting report on Brown, Sean O' Donnell of Bleacher Report stated:

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Brown should catch on to a team late in this year's draft. If, for some reason, he is not drafted, he should be able to find a team in free agency. He does have a nice chance to make a final roster or end up on a practice squad based on his high ceiling. He will not start any time soon in the NFL, but with the right amount of coaching, he could become a starter in the future.

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Tom Melton wasn't impressed with Brown's showing at the East-West Shrine Game, writing:

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Brown struggled mightily when I watched him. He didn’t show a good anchor against bull rushes, he struggled versus inside moves because of opening his hips too early and didn’t seem to sustain blocks well. I didn’t have a draftable grade on him coming in and he didn’t do much to change that.

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Draft Nasty lauded Brown's athleticism, saying:

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One of the more foot-quick offensive tackles available in the 2013 NFL draft, we think Brown offers speed and quickness at the left tackle spot. Keep in mind, however, that he's manned the right tackle position for the Cougars during his career.

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