THE BROWN CARD
CFP National Champion, 2015
There were 253 players taken in the 2017 NFL Draft. Noah Brown was No. 239, which means he was a longshot to make the Dallas Cowboys.
The average career of an NFL wide receiver is 2.81 seasons. Brown is in his sixth season, which means he’s more than beaten the odds.
Ah, you’re still wondering, “Who is Noah Brown and how has he lasted this long without ever having scored a touchdown or caught more than 16 passes in a season?”
Brown has stuck in the NFL because he does all the things that endear a player to coaches and teammates. He works his rear end off. He plays special teams and scout team. He represents himself and the Cowboys with professionalism.
Almost every season that Brown has been with the Cowboys, he’s beaten the odds. In 2021 the Cowboys drafted CeeDee Lamb to go along with Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup. They also had Cedric Wilson. Brown made the team.
This season the Cowboys used draft picks on Jalen Tolbert and Semi Fehoko. They signed former Pittsburgh Steeler James Washington to a free agent deal. Brown made the team.
At 6-foot-2, 225 pounds, Brown is big, but not overpowering. He ran a 40 time of 4.56, which is on the slow side – for a tight end. Linebacker Micah Parsons ran a 4.39.
Yet Brown runs precise routes, he makes the catches he should make, he uses his body to box out defenders – in other words, he might be the most unsexy receiver in the NFL. But he’s solid. He’s there week in and week out.
This season the Cowboys traded away Cooper and Gallup remains on the injury list. Brown had a career-high day in the second week of the season, making five catches for 91 yards and scoring his first NFL touchdown.
Gallup is due back in a few weeks. Tolbert is learning the offense. Washington is recovering from a broken foot and is expected to be back in the second half of the season.
If you expect Brown to lose his roster spot, you haven’t been paying attention. The former Ohio State star has staked his claim to a roster spot. It’s taken five-plus seasons, but he finally caught a touchdown pass.
The best might yet to come.