Andrew Brown, DL, Virginia: 2018 NFL Draft Scouting Report

A prominent high school recruit, Andrew Brown is looking to prove himself entering the 2018 NFL Draft

Andrew Brown, a 2014 five-star recruit, started 24 of 41 career games for Virginia. He suffered a shoulder injury in October of 2016, but played through the injury before undergoing surgery in the offseason.

He was also slowed by a shoulder injury during his freshman season. He primarily lines up at left defensive end in the Cavaliers 3-4 base defense, however he does move inside at times.

Virginia utilized a base 4-3 during Brown’s first two seasons at the school. He’s played for two head coaches and two defensive coordinators during his college career.

PROVO, UT – SEPTEMBER 20: Close up view of a Virginia Cavaliers helmet during their game against the Brigham Young Cougars at LaVell Edwards Stadium on September 20, 2014 in Provo, Utah. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr/Getty Images ) /

Despite being a five-star recruit, Brown struggled to see the field early in his career. He started just one game in his first two seasons and recorded a total of 10 tackles. He became a full-time starter as a junior in 2016 when Virginia switched from a 4-3 to a 3-4 base defense and posted a career-high 13 tackles for a loss to go along with six sacks.

In 2017, Brown finished with 46 tackles, 10.5 for a loss and 3.5 sacks. He possesses very good size and length on a well-proportioned frame with good athletic ability. Brown has accepted an invitation to play in the Senior Bowl.

Age: 22 during draft (December 30, 1995)

Virginia Cavaliers Football /

Virginia Cavaliers Football

Measurables

Height: 6’3”

Weight: 285 lbs.

Strengths

Andrew Brown demonstrates good aggressiveness as a pass rusher, attacking the offensive line at the snap. He displays solid hand usage as he times his punch well, initiating contact and placing his hands inside the offensive lineman to gain control. A strong base and low pad level allow him to gain leverage as he does an excellent job of converting speed to power.

The following play is an excellent example of what happens when Brown puts it all together. He lines up at left defensive end and takes on the right guard one-on-one. He’s able to get his hands inside and under his opponent’s shoulder pads and uses his strong lower body to push the lineman back into the quarterback. Although he doesn’t record a sack on the play, Brown forced a quick throw and was able to put a hit on the QB.

While the bull rush was successful on that play, Brown possesses a solid repertoire of moves in his arsenal. One of his better moves is his ability to shoot gaps by making himself small when taking on a double team. When he doesn’t create pressure on the quarterback, Brown displays solid awareness by dropping into coverage on screens and getting his hands up in the passing lanes.

Against the run, Brown demonstrates outstanding play speed as he utilizes his lateral quickness to move down the line of scrimmage to make a stop. This ability was on full display against Miami on this play. Despite the attempted cut block, Brown possesses good athletic ability to maintain his balance and sprint down the line of scrimmage. He fills the open cut-back lane and prevents the running back from picking up a big gain.

Brown displays a solid closing burst as he approaches the ball. He’s a reliable tackler who uses his strong arms to prevent the ball carrier from breaking free. Unlike many prospects his size, Brown possesses the stamina to play all three downs and plays a very high percentage of Virginia’s defensive snaps.

Weaknesses

Off the snap, Andrew Brown is slow out of his stance as a result of adequate explosiveness. Against the run, this allows opposing linemen to initiate contact and place their hands on Brown’s chest. When this happens, the offensive lineman gains control and is easily able to push Brown off the line of scrimmage and turn him away from the play.

That’s exactly what happens on this goal line play against Louisville. Brown is lined up at the three-technique between the right guard and tackle. The guard pulls to the right, leaving the tackle to block Brown. The offensive lineman initiates contact and stands Brown up at the line of scrimmage before pushing him back into the end zone. As the running back makes his cut upfield, the tackle turns Brown out of the play, creating a big lane for the ball carrier to run through.

The end zone look allows us to see the running back explode through the hole vacated by Brown.

Brown was unable to maintain gap integrity on that play because of the offensive lineman’s blocking, however the following play is an example of Brown losing gap integrity by playing undisciplined football. Playing left defensive end, Brown takes himself out of the play by inexplicably trying to race around the edge. Using Brown’s momentum against him, the right tackle has no trouble shoving him out of the way. This opens up a huge running lane for the running back to pick up a solid gain on first down.

Brown displays limited mental processing skills as he is caught guessing rather than trusting his vision. Against Lamar Jackson, arguably the best running quarterback in college football, Brown commits to stopping the running back on a third down option. Leaving him unblocked, Louisville uses Brown’s aggressiveness against him as Jackson pulls the ball and takes it 68 yards for a touchdown.

To go along with limited mental processing skills, Brown also demonstrates marginal mental toughness. He displays adequate consistency late in games when his team is losing and will lose his composure at times. He was ejected from his final regular season game against Virginia Tech when he was involved in a scuffle that included him throwing a punch and making contact with an official.