American Football Database
Register
Advertisement
Bryce Brown
No. 34     Philadelphia Eagles
Running back
Personal information
Date of birth: (1991-05-14) May 14, 1991 (age 32)
Place of birth: Wichita, Kansas
High School: Wichita (KS) East
Career information
College: Kansas State
NFL Draft: 2012 / Round: 7 / Pick: 229
Debuted in 2012 for the Philadelphia Eagles
Career history
*Philadelphia Eagles ( 2012–present)
Roster status: Active
Career highlights and awards
*Hall Trophy (2008)
Career NFL statistics as of Week 17, 2013
Rushing Yards     878
Rushing Average     4.6
Rushing TDs     6

Bryce Lee Brown (born May 14, 1991) is an American football running back for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He attended the University of Tennessee his freshman year of college, but decided to leave the football program in March 2010.[1] However, Volunteers coach Derek Dooley decided not to release Brown from his scholarship, which meant Brown had to pay his own way at Kansas State University in 2010 as he sat out due to NCAA transfer rules.[2] Brown left the Kansas State football team early in the 2011 season to enter the 2012 NFL Draft.[3]

While playing at Wichita High School East, he won the 2008 Hall Trophy for the best high school player in the United States and was ranked atop of the Rivals.com ranking of his class, the first running back to do so since Adrian Peterson in 2004.[4] In 2008, he was also dubbed the best high school running back prospect of the last five years.[5] In 2008, Rivals.com′s Barry Every compared Brown to San Diego Chargers player Ronnie Brown.[4]

High school career[]

A First Team All-Wichita selection as a freshman, he rushed for 1,472 yards and 12 TDs. He followed that up with an even more impressive sophomore campaign, rushing for 2,039 yards and 26 TDs. Brown was a consensus First Team All-State selection as well as EA Sports National Sophomore of the Year. He amassed more than 50 scholarship offers. He wore #24 in his Freshman and Sophomore seasons.

During his junior year, Brown rushed for 1,825 yards on 207 carries (8.8 avg) and 23 touchdowns, earning him All-City and All-State honors. He wore #5 in his Junior year. He was also recognized as a member of the Kansas “Fab 11” and was the lone junior that was named a USA Today Prep All-American.[6] For his senior season, he wore #11 in honor of his brother, Arthur Brown.[7] Tom Lemming of CSTV considered Brown to be better than all of the 2008 running back crop (which includes Darrell Scott and Jermie Calhoun).[8] Brown was believed to be the top running back prospect from Kansas since Barry Sanders.[9][10]

Arthur Brown committed to the University of Miami in December 2007, which led to rumors whether Bryce may complete his high school in Coral Gables, Florida, since their mother once told USA Today that Bryce “is wanting to go to high school wherever Arthur chooses to go to college.”[11] Bryce Brown, however, eventually decided to remain in Wichita for his senior season.[12]

In October 2008, Brown was selected to the 2009 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.[13] Brown finished the 2008 season with a Wichita City League regular-season record 1,873 yards rushing, giving him 7,209 rushing yards overall, also a City League record.[14] He was named to the USA Today All-USA First Team for the second consecutive time.[15]

Recruiting[]

His workouts, recruiting and news media requests were handled by Brian Butler, who identifies himself as Brown's trainer and handler.[16][17] Butler sold updates of Brown's recruitment via website for $9.99 a month or $59 a year and sought contributions that he says were used to take players on a tour of colleges each summer.[16] At one point, Butler announced Brown was considering entering the Canadian Football League (CFL), but Brown backed down from that claim.[17] As a result of Butler's handling, the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s amateurism certification staff launched an investigation to determine whether anything had been done that would jeopardize Brown's amateur status.[18] The NCAA's investigation eventually cleared Brown to play before the start of his freshman season.[19]

On February 22, 2008, Brown chose to follow his brother and verbally committed to the University of Miami.[20] However, Brown did not sign a letter of intent on National Signing Day 2009, but instead planned to announce his decision on March 16, naming five other "finalists" despite his oral commitment to Miami: LSU, Tennessee, Oregon, USC, and Kansas State.[17] Said ESPN.com′s Tom Luginbill: “If I was Randy Shannon and the Miami staff, I would tell the kid and Brian Butler to go jump in a lake. I got to imagine that deep down, Miami's coaches have to be thinking, ‘This is getting ridiculous.’”[21] Prior to his announcement, Brown paid official visits to Oregon and Clemson,[22] and finally took an impromptu visit to Tennessee on March 13.[23]

Citing an anonymous source, the Associated Press reported the University of Miami would not reissue a national letter of intent to Brown to replace the one that expired Wednesday, February 18.[24] Brown's advisor Brian Butler told AP he was unaware scholarship offers have an expiration date, but reiterated that Brown would not sign until March 16.[25] According to Palm Beach Post′s Jorge Milian UM coach Shannon called Brown on Tuesday, February 17, and allegedly told him the University of Miami was no longer interested in his services.[26] However, Brown later told Wichita Eagle that Shannon still wanted him to be a Hurricane.[27] Due to NCAA rules, Shannon was not allowed to comment.

On March 16, 2009, Brown announced at a press conference at the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame in Wichita, Kansas, that he would attend the University of Tennessee. "I feel that's the school that's gonna prepare me the best to go to the next level," Brown said at the press conference.[28]

College career[]

Entering college with an enormous amount of hype, Brown was expected to see considerable playing time during his true freshman year and spent the 2009 season in the top two running back rotation.[29] His amateur status was under investigation by the NCAA prior to the season,[30] but Brown was cleared only a few days later.[31]

Brown spent the season as a backup to senior Montario Hardesty. Brown finished the season with 460 yards rushing, second on the team behind Hardesty. He also had three rushing touchdowns.

On the first day of Tennessee's 2010 spring practice, after Lane Kiffin left the Volunteers for USC, Brown announced his decision to leave the program. Volunteers' coach Derek Dooley said that Brown would remain enrolled at Tennessee for the rest of the spring semester but did not indicate if he would then transfer.[1] His brother Arthur transferred from the University of Miami to Kansas State University a couple of weeks earlier, and on August 15, 2010, Brown decided to join his brother at Kansas State.[32]

Brown, along with his brother Arthur, were named in a report from Yahoo! Sports alleging that student-athletes, coaches and administrators were aware and received impermissible benefits from an ex-booster Nevin Shapiro.[33] "Kansas State University has been in communication with the NCAA," the university said in a release. "Regarding Arthur Brown and Bryce Brown, the NCAA staff has informed the institution that it has no concerns about their eligibility to compete at K-State."[34]

On September 29, 2011 it was reported that Brown left the Kansas State Wildcats football team "at least temporarily."[35] He entered the 2012 NFL Draft as an early entry in January 2012.[3]

Professional career[]

Pre-draft[]

Brown was not invited to the 2012 NFL Combine. Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune ranked him as the No. 17 running back prospect of the 2012 NFL Draft.[36]

Pre-draft measureables
Ht Wt 40-yd dash 10-yd split 20-yd split 20-ss 3-cone Vert Broad BP
5 ft 11⅜ in 223 lb 4.38 s 1.56 s 2.58 s 4.20 s 7.04 s 34 in 9 ft 9 in 22 reps

Philadelphia Eagles[]

File:Bbrown13.JPG

Bryce Brown takes a handoff from Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles.

Brown was drafted in the seventh round (229th overall) of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles.[37] He signed a four-year contract with the team on May 11, 2012.

After starting running back LeSean McCoy was ruled out due to post-concussion symptoms, Brown started against the Carolina Panthers on Monday Night Football on November 26, 2012—his first start since high school.[38] Brown had over 100 yards and a touchdown in the first half alone, including a sixty-five yard touchdown run. He finished the game with 178 yards rushing on 19 carries, 2 touchdowns and 4 receptions for 11 yards, and 2 fumbles. Brown's 178 yards set an Eagles rookie record.[39] The next week on 2 December 2012 against the Dallas Cowboys, Brown rushed for 169 yards and two touchdowns. Brown fumbled late in the fourth quarter, however, and Dallas player Morris Claiborne returned the fumble 50-yards for the deciding score in the game.[40]

Personal[]

Bryce is the son of Arthur Sr. and Lelonnie Brown. His uncle Lawrence Pete is a former Detroit Lions player.[41]

His older brother Arthur is a former five-star linebacker recruit who played at Kansas State University and currently plays for the Baltimore Ravens. According to Jeremy Crabtree of Rivals.com, the Browns were the first brothers ever to be both ranked five-star recruits.[11]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 "RB Bryce Brown leaves Tennessee's football team". USA Today. March 18, 2010. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/sec/2010-03-18-brown-tennessee_N.htm..
  2. Ward, Austin (July 30, 2010). "Brown will not be released from scholarship". Knoxville News Sentinel. http://www.govolsxtra.com/news/2010/jul/30/brown-will-not-be-released-fron-scholarship/.
  3. 3.0 3.1 K-State’s Bryce Brown to enter NFL draft
  4. 4.0 4.1 The Battle for No. 1: Why Bryce Brown?
  5. Past vs. Present: Look back at the best
  6. USA Today All-USA team 2007
  7. Long, Jonathan (2008-08-27). "Bryce Brown gets chance to lead East". The Wichita Eagle. http://www.kansas.com/266/story/507943.html.
  8. Chicago Sun-Times: Class of '08 in spotlight
  9. Sports Illustrated, Issue from August 23, 2007.
  10. Buchanan, Olin (2008-12-29). "Brown is quick to slow down". Rivals.com. http://www.highschool.rivals.com/content.asp?SID=1185&CID=894359.
  11. 11.0 11.1 Steve Wieberg (2007-09-06). "Wichita gems hail from same team ... and family". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/preps/football/2007-09-06-Browns_N.htm. Retrieved 2007-09-10.
  12. Yahoo! - Rivals.com: No place like home for Brown?
  13. East High’s Brown Selected to National All-Star Game
  14. Lutz, Bob (2008-12-07). "Sometimes being great isn't enough, as East's Brown has learned". Wichita Eagle. http://www.kansas.com/sports/lutz/story/623060.html.
  15. USA Today 2008 All-USA team
  16. 16.0 16.1 Evans, Thayer; Thamel, Pete (2009-02-03). "In Kansas, a Players’ Agent Lines Up the College Recruits". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/04/sports/ncaafootball/04recruit.html.
  17. 17.0 17.1 17.2 Steward Mandel, From Brown to Kiffin, here are 10 offseason storylines to watch, SI.com, February 13, 2009, Accessed February 14, 2009. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "SI021309" defined multiple times with different content
  18. Evans, Thayer; Thamel, Pete (2009-02-26). "N.C.A.A. Investigates Role of a Recruit’s Adviser". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/27/sports/ncaafootball/27recruit.html.
  19. "Tennessee's Bryce Brown cleared after NCAA investigation". The Associated Press. 2009-08-27. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/sec/2009-08-27-tennessee-brown_N.htm.
  20. Wolters, Levi (2008-02-22). "Bryce Brown selects Miami". Wichita Eagle. http://www.kansas.com/sports/story/318859.html. Retrieved 2008-02-24.[dead link]
  21. Milian, Jorge (2009-02-11). "Top recruit's path anything but ordinary". Palm Beach Post. http://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/content/sports/epaper/2009/02/11/0211um_football.html.
  22. "Bryce Brown Profile". Scout.com. http://recruiting.scout.com/a.z?s=73&p=8&c=1&nid=2937110. Retrieved February 11, 2009.
  23. Hooker, Dave (March 13, 2009). "Nation's top recruit, Bryce Brown, visits UT". Knoxville News-Sentinel. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20090313/SPORTS0601/90313087/1002/SPORTS.
  24. Navarro, Manny (2009-02-17). "Miami Hurricanes might rescind offer to prized recruit Bryce Brown". Miami Herald. http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/story/908737.html.
  25. "AP: Bryce Brown won't sign with Miami by deadline". USA Today. 2009-02-17. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/recruiting/football/2009-02-17-brown-miami-deadline_N.htm.
  26. On Tuesday, UM told Bryce Brown: "No thanks."
  27. Brown says Miami still interested
  28. "Bryce Brown signs with Tennessee". VolunteerTV.com. 16 March 2009. http://www.volunteertv.com/home/headlines/41322807.html.
  29. Staples, Andy (August 7, 2009). "Freshmen most likely to make an immediate impact in 2009". Sports Illustrated. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/andy_staples/08/06/impact-freshmen/1.html.
  30. "Tennessee Volunteers coach Lane Kiffin says NCAA investigating Bryce Brown's eligibility". ESPN. August 19, 2009. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4408191.
  31. "Tennessee's Bryce Brown cleared after NCAA investigation". USA Today. August 27, 2009. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/sec/2009-08-27-tennessee-brown_N.htm.
  32. Former Tennessee running back and top national recruit Bryce Brown to enroll at Kansas State
  33. Robinson, Charles (August 16, 2011). "Renegade Miami football booster spells out illicit benefits to players". Yahoo! Sports. http://sports.yahoo.com/investigations/news;_ylt=At7d5FJPpQojnULx7yaxb7Q5nYcB?slug=cr-renegade_miami_booster_details_illicit_benefits_081611.
  34. K-State: NCAA 'has no concerns' about Browns' eligibility
  35. http://www.kake.com/sports/headlines/Report_Bryce_Brown_Leaves_KSU_Football_Team_130804658.html?ref=658
  36. Pompei, Dan. "NFL draft preview: Running backs". Chicago Tribune. http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/ct-spt-0413-web-nfl-draft-running-backs--20120413,0,2222427.story.
  37. Robinett, Kellis (April 28, 2012). "Eagles pick K-State's Bryce Brown in seventh round". The Kansas City Star. http://www.kansascity.com/2012/04/28/3582357/brown-gets-opportunity.html. Retrieved 2012-04-30.
  38. Patton, Steve. Eagles' Brown ready for first start since high school. The Reading Eagle, 2012-11-23.
  39. http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/boopstats/Bryce-Brown-Already-in-Top-101202.html
  40. Associated Press, "Tony Romo sets Cowboys' TD mark in win against Eagles", ESPN, 2 December 2012
  41. Thayer Evans (2007-06-04). "A Linebacker’s Legend Is Growing in Kansas". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/04/sports/football/04brown.html. Retrieved 2007-09-10.

External links[]

Template:Pete Dawkins Trophy

Advertisement