Sydney Brown S Illinois | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Sydney Brown S Illinois
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
ROLE: Man-Zone Box/Strong Safety | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last Updated: 03/29/2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Draft Year: 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
40 time: 4.47 seconds (82%*) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Age: 24.8 DOB: 03/21/2000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bowl Invite: Senior Bowl | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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ROLE: Man-Zone Box/Strong Safety | |
Last Updated: 03/29/2023 | |
Draft Year: 2023 | |
40 time: 4.47 seconds (82%*) | |
Age: 24.8 DOB: 03/21/2000 | |
Bowl Invite: Senior Bowl | |
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Overall Rating: | 85.1 / 100 | |
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Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
Offense Rating: |
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80% |
Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
QB Rating When targeted: | 58.0 | |
Tackling: |
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59% |
Run Defense: |
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69% |
Coverage: |
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84% |
Zone: |
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84% |
Man/Press: |
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73% |
DRAFT PROJECTION:
3rd
Overall Rank:
#72
Position rank:
#15
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College Games: 51 College Snaps: 3168 | ||
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Drafted: ROUND: 3 - Pick Number: 66 (PHI)
Draft Profile: Bio
Canadian native Sydney Brown attended St Stephen's Episcopal High School where he was a standout in football and Track. His athletic ability was obvious and he was rated a 3-star prospect by 247 Sports with a scout's rating of 0.830. Following high school, Brown opted to join Illinois.In 2018 as a freshman Brown saw action in 10 games and played a total of 585 snaps at safety for the Fighting Illini. He recorded 38 tackles, 17 assists, while adding 9 stops. In coverage Brown notched up 3 pass breakups, one interception, and a disapointing QB rating when targetted of 115.7.
As a sophomore in 2019 he played in 11 games and logged 685 snaps for the Fighting Illini. He made 70 tackles, 11 assists, and had 16 stops. In coverage he totaled one pass breakup, 3 interceptions, and QB rating when targetted of 94.3.
In 2020 as a junior Brown played in 6 games and contributed on 360 snaps. He chalked up 28 tackles, 10 assists, and added 5 stops. In the secondary Brown forced a pass breakup, no interceptions, and gave up a QB rating when targetted of 104.7.
In 2021 as a senior Brown saw action in 12 games while playing 796 snaps. He logged solid 67 tackles, 11 assists, and made 23 stops. In coverage Brown had 2 pass breakups, no interceptions, and surrendered a QB rating when targetted of 96.3.
In 2022 as a fifth year senior Brown upped his play while as he saw action in 12 games while playing 742 snaps. He logged 56 tackles, 15 assists, and made 25 stops. In coverage, Brown had 5 pass breakups, 6 interceptions, and surrendered an elite QB rating when targetted of 47.8.
Honors & awards
- 2022 USA Today All-American second team
- 2022 PFF All-American third team
- 2022 All-Big Ten first team (coaches)
- 2022 All-Big Ten second team (media)
- 2021 All-Big Ten honorable mention (coaches and media)
- 2021 No. 5 Canadian Football League draft prospect according to the CFL scouting bureau
- 2020 Athlon Preseason All-Big Ten second team
- 2019 All-Big Ten third team (coaches)
- High School Florida state finalist in 400m, 4x400m and 4x100m as a senior
- High School Florida state finalist in the 4x100m as a junior
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Super athletic player with excellent measurables - put on a show at the combine with a - 4.47 forty, a a 87th percentile 10 yard split and 96th percentile vertical
- Understands zone concepts and is aware of his surroundings. Reliable tackler who reacts quickly when Brown sees it.
- Can get up under a receiver’s chin and has the speed to flip his hips and run downfield. Brown has the quick and surprisingly powerful hands to jostle receivers early. But he’s at his best peeking into the backfield.
- Made Bruce Feldman's Freak's List - ranked #34. He wrote, "made All-Big Ten honorable mention in 2021, led Illinois with 81 tackles, and also forced two fumbles. He added almost 6 pounds of lean muscle mass this summer while losing 1 pound of fat. He has also hit 22.4 mph on the GPS in-game."
- Has sports in his blood - Father played in the CFL and Mother was a figure skater
- Can get up on the line of scrimmage and deliver a solid punch early in routes, then use that quickness to shadow, or back off and close quickly when the ball comes out
- Has the violent hands to discard receivers and smaller tight ends, and he is a sure tackler. In coverage, he shows good instincts when sitting back in zone, with click-and-close ability and good ball tracking.
- He’s a willing and capable hitter in run support and closes fast to make plays against quick screens.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Is only average in man coverage - will need extra help - especially deep
- He was exceptional in 2022 when he locked down receivers to a 47.8 QB rating. Prior to this, he was regularly beaten and gave up an average QB rating hovering around 100 for the previous four years
- Has a high backpedal and loses a step in transition
- Feet aren’t ideal, as Brown gets sloppy in his backpedal and can be sluggish when transitioning to close on the ball.
- Has only average eye discipline - bites on too many play fakes
- He’s not instinctive and struggles reading downfield routes and tracking the deep ball.
Scouting Report: Summary
Sydney Brown is a super athletic safety prospect with impressive speed and a similar level of overall explosiveness. He has good size standing 5-10 and weighing in at 210 lbs combined with being massively experienced - having started since being a freshman in 2018 and is excellent as a run defender. He however up until his senior year was very average in coverage and only displayed consistent play as a senior. If you think Brown's final season was the new norm or just a one-off will determine his ultimate draft demand. Expect Brown to hear his name called anywhere from the second to the fourth round of the 2023 NFL draft.Sydney Brown percentiles vs other Safetys (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate Sydney Brown (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
78.8
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
27.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.