Anthony Brown NFL Draft 2016: Scouting Report, Grade for Cowboys Rookie

POSITIVES

One of the top performers at the scouting combine in the 40-yard dash (4.35s) and bench press (19 reps) at the position, Anthony Brown has been building steam as the draft nears.

Brown shows up on film as the best player on the Purdue roster, so he's easy to spot. He's a true man-coverage cornerback with closing speed, instincts and the hips to turn and run through transitions against NFL talent. Not only that, but Brown is a willing tackler in the run game.

A patient, poised cornerback in man and zone coverage alike, Brown doesn't panic against speed and doesn't back down against power. He shows the awareness to find and attack the ball, scoring 16 pass breakups in the last two seasons.

The support around Brown was awful, and he was often asked to cover for five to six seconds as the pass rush in front of him failed to get home.

NEGATIVES

At first glance, Brown's numbers will bother scouts. He was flagged six times in 2015 and was on the giving end of five touchdowns against four interceptions as a senior. But as mentioned above, Brown played on one of the worst defenses in college football and had little help from his teammates.

In coverage, Brown can be stiff to recover at the line of scrimmage and relies on his hands to get back into the play. That will be a flag in the NFL. Brown has to learn to better time his hip turns and to use his 4.35 speed to make plays.

Just an average tackler, Brown doesn't offer much in run support. He allows himself to be blocked out of the play and isn't a reliable protector on the sideline.

COMBINE RESULTS

Height: 5'11"

Weight: 192 lbs.

40 Time: 4.35s

3-Cone: 7.03s

Short Shuttle: 4.19s

PRO COMPARISON: Ross Cockrell, Pittsburgh Steelers
FINAL GRADE: 5.70/9.00 (Round 4—Backup Caliber)