The 2017 wide receiver class is a sneaky one. While it is a down year for wideouts from the traditional “football factories”, there are a number of prospects from smaller schools who are catching scouts’ eyes, like Corey Davis or Cooper Kupp.
There is also under-the-radar depth at the position, with players from well known schools who (for one reason or another) have yet to garner major attention in the draft process.
The New York Giants happen to need a third wide receiver, or at least competition for the players they already have in-house. But after investing a first and second round pick in Odell Beckham Jr. and Sterling Shepard in the past three years, it might not be prudent to invest highly again. However, a player like Ohio State’s Noah Brown could be available in the mid-rounds, and would provide a skillset the Giants’ offense is currently lacking.
Measurables
Height - 6 feet, 2 inches (listed)
Weight - 220 pounds (listed)
40 Time - 4.57 (projected)
Pros
- Great frame for an outside receiver. Tall, long, with a thick build.
- Very physical. Both in his route running and blocks with a nasty streak.
- Plus body control to snag off-target and difficult catches.
- Size, physicality, and catch radius makes him .
- Shows some speed in the open field and short area quickness.
Cons
- A red-shirt sophomore, Brown is young and inexperienced (only 2 years of experience)
- His route running is a work in progress and he appears to have trouble separating at times.
- Missed the 2015 season with a broken leg suffered in spring practices.
Does He Fit With The Giants?
If the Giants haven’t addressed the wide receiver position by the mid rounds and Brown is still on the board, he is an interesting fit.
The Giants have preferred advanced route running from their drafted receivers (as evidenced by Odell Beckham Jr. and Sterling Shepard). However, thanks to Brown’s age and injury issues, he is essentially a lump of (very physical) clay for the Giants to mold. He might not contribute a great deal right away, but his physicality as a blocker and receiver in contested situations are traits that the offense is missing. He blocks like the defender owes him money, and that could be the difference between a good run and a touchdown.
His size, physicality, and nasty streak could also make him a special teams player to be feared.
As a receiver, his catch radius, strong hands, and exceptional body control could make him an instant threat in red zone and short-yardage situations. In those cases, he reminds of a younger, rawer Alshon Jeffery.
Prospect Video
Big Board Rankings
Big Blue View - Not In Top 100
Mocking The Draft - N/A
CBS Sports - 118th overall
Draft Countdown - 93rd overall
Draft Tek - 136th overall
Final Thoughts
Brown is young and raw, but for a team that already is looking for a big, physical outside receiver, he has some intriguing traits. His size, physicality, body control, and strong hands are sure to catch scouts eyes, as will his four touchdown effort against Oklahoma.
(The game that gave us this catch)
He will need to improve his route running to get the most from his physical abilities. But while he does that, he could at first find a home on special teams and in red-zone packages. With the foundation he has, it could be well worth a teams’ time to invest in developing him.