Thread: Bears could have a steal in Troy left tackle James Brown

With all the early buzz about James Brown doing well at training camp, I thought I'd post some draft info on him, along with some scouting reports:

LINK to the article
Bears could have a steal in Troy left tackle James Brown


Troy offensive lineman James Brown runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)


James Brown was among the 11 undrafted players the Bears agreed to terms with Sunday, and ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. rated the Troy left tackle as the 54th-best prospect overall.


Brown is 6-4 and 306 pounds with long arms, which is regarded as a prerequisite for an NFL offensive tackle. But there are concerns about his overall quickness and strength, and some teams believed he might be better suited as a guard.


At the NFL Scouting Combine, Brown was open to playing any position on either side.
“It doesn’t matter,” he said. “I just want to play football.”


In high school, he played right tackle. But he starred at left tackle at Troy, starting 38 games.

Scouting reports:

LINK to the article
Draft Scout James Brown News

04/19/12 - Brown, a native of Magnolia, Miss., would love to be the latest small-school lineman turned NFL standout. Scouts consider him a raw but natural athlete with good range. Some question his overall strength. Despite not playing regularly against top-echelon talent, Brown believes he can become a mauler in the NFL. "I'm a better run-blocker," he said. "I've been told that I have a great punch, and that helps me out in the run game and the passing game, too." Brown, who started at left tackle in all 38 games he played for Troy, has had plenty to prove during the past few months. In Senior Bowl practices, he struggled at times in his move to playing guard, a position scouts say better suits his skills and gives him an advantage against less athletic interior linemen. Eventually he began to pick up the nuances of playing inside. "It was definitely different because I've never really played the position," Brown said. "It was a very different experience playing guard, but as the week progressed, I started getting a little better." - Nakia Hogan, The Times-Picayune

04/02/12 - NFL DRAFT SCOUT TOP OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: James Brown, Troy, 6-3, 306...Brown started all 38 games he played for Troy at left tackle and graded out extremely well. But during Senior Bowl practices he struggled on the outside and was moved to guard, which seems to suit him better against top competition. He is still unpolished and needs work on his overall technique and strengthen his base to increase ballast as an interior blocker. But he has quick feet, long arms (33½ inches), strong hands and enough natural athleticism to give him tantalizing upside. After starring at Amite County High in Liberty, Miss., Brown was an All-Mississippi juco player at Southwest Mississippi Community College before finally making it to Troy. He started 13 games in 2009 when Troy was third in the nation in total offense (485.69 ypg). By 2011, he was first team All Sun-Belt Conference. - Frank Cooney, The Sports Xchange

01/26/12 - 2012 SENIOR BOWL THURSDAY: OT James Brown, Troy: An under-the-radar player, Brown has had a tough time so far this week, but has shown steady progression after being moved inside to guard at practice. He looks natural in his movements with very good foot quickness and lateral agility, but he is unpolished with his hand placement and overall technique. After playing left tackle at Troy, Brown will need to strengthen his base and lower body in order to anchor as an interior blocker. - Dane Brugler, NFLDraftScout.com