Thomas Brown

What Brown might lack in size and bulk, he makes up for with strength and speed. His biggest obstacle has been injuries, having missed 11 contests during his career due to various ailments. He still went on to rank fifth in school annals with 529 carries for 2,646 yards during his career. His average of 22.7 yards per kickoff return placed him seventh on the Bulldogs' all-time record list and his 3,767 all-purpose yards rank fourth in Georgia history. Brown was an Atlanta Journal-Constitution Super 11, Super Southern 100 and Class AAAA All-State choice as a senior at Tucker High School. He added Fox Sports Net All-South second-team, Super Prep Elite 50, All-American and All-Dixie accolades. He was also a Rivals.com Top 100, Southeast Elite, Georgia Top 50 pick and rated the fourth-best running back in the nation by Tom Lemming's Top 100 squad. The Prep Star Dream Team 100 choice played in just seven games as a senior due to a broken leg he suffered in a game vs. South Forsyth High. He still rushed for 1,632 yards and 13 touchdowns as a junior, and in seven games during his senior year he added 941 yards and 17 scores. The team finished with a 12-1 record in his junior season and a 12-2 record in his final campaign, when he also started at defensive back. Brown made an immediate impact during his first season at Georgia, earning Freshman All-Southeastern Conference honors, in addition to being the recipient of the team's Offensive Newcomer of the Year Award and Victors Club Award. Even though he started just three of 11 games and missed the South Carolina clash with a hamstring pull, he still led the team with 875 yards and eight touchdowns on 172 carries (5.1 avg). He caught 16 passes for 150 yards (9.4 avg) and added 18 yards on a kickoff return, finishing his first season as a Bulldog with 1,043 all-purpose yards. Named the team's Most Consistent Running Back, the Doak Walker Award list member started 12 games in 2005, sitting out vs. Louisiana-Monroe with a shoulder sprain. He led the team again with 147 attempts for 736 yards (5.2 avg) and four scores, adding 67 yards on six catches. He also threw a 9-yard touchdown pass, as he totaled 822 all-purpose yards. In 2006, Brown started five of the team's first seven games, as he was benched for a few contests due to inconsistent play. His season would later come to an end when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee returning a kickoff vs. Vanderbilt. He still ranked third on the team with 62 rushes for 256 yards (4.1 avg) and a touchdown. He made seven catches for 71 yards and returned 15 kickoffs for 379 yards (25.3 avg) and a score before his injury. Brown started seven of 10 games in 2007, missing three contests after he suffered a left collarbone break vs. Tennessee. He actually hurt his shoulder in the Mississippi clash when he dove into the end zone at the end of a 50-yard touchdown run. When he returned later in the season, freshman sensation Knowshon Moreno was firmly entrenched as the Bulldogs' starting tailback. Brown managed to total 779 yards with 10 touchdowns on 148 runs (5.3 avg), 84 yards on 10 receptions and 333 yards on 15 kickoff returns (22.2 avg). That gave him 1,196 all-purpose yards for his final campaign. In 40 games at Georgia, Brown started 27 contests. He ranks fifth in school history with 2,646 yards on 529 carries (5.0 avg), scoring 23 times on the ground. He snared 39 passes for 372 yards (9.5 avg) and two scores, adding 749 yards and a touchdown on 33 kickoff returns (22.7 avg). He completed one pass for a 9-yard score and recorded four solo tackles, as he amassed 3,767 all-purpose yards, an average of 94.18 yards per game.

positives

Lacks ideal size and bulk, but has good bone structure with a well-developed chest, arms and shoulders, big hands and a narrow waist...Can make a difference on the field once he sees the crease, as he shows good body lean and forward drive to get tough yards up the middle (won't push the pile, but has enough to get through trash)...Shows good initial quickness in and out of the holes, gaining advantage with his initial step...Has the body lean and balance to pick, slide and accelerate through the holes on the short area runs...Flashes functional cutback agility to be effective bouncing to the outside...Has the instincts to create on his own, but is also patient letting his blocks develop...Can break some tackles when he stays low in his pads and shows a decent jump cut and the vision to dart through the skinny holes...When he gets into the second level, he has the vision to see threats and does a good job of avoiding them (won't try to overpower a defender by simply running over the opponent, but does have a strong stiff-arm to separate)...Does not have the blazing speed to take the ball long distances, but he can weave through a crowd until he finds daylight...Runs with good balance and has good avoidance skills in close quarters...More of a move the chains type of runner, as he does a good job of lowering his pads and attacking with his shoulders to break tackles...Can be tracked down when running around corners, but does a good job of setting up his blocks...Best when used on controlled routes as a receiver, where he can better use his body control to separate, as he is more aware of underneath coverage than on long routes, and has a way of setting up the defender to get some area separation...Has good arm strength and large hands to do a good job of protecting the ball getting through a crowd...Good safety valve on screens, as he gets to the flats with good urgency (second gear is lacking on deep patterns, though)...Has a nice glide running with the ball on kickoff returns and does a good job of locating the seam and following his wedge blockers...Solid worker in his rehabilitation and takes pride in his training...Adequate pass protector who might get walked back into the pocket by the bigger defenders, but it is not due to a lack of effort...Better as a cut blocker, as he has a good concept for taking angles and good eyes for locating second level targets.

compares to

RYAN MOATS-Philadelphia...Like Moats, Brown might be too brittle to be an every-down running back. He is undersized, and while he has good weight room strength he won't be the type who can consistently push the pile. He is an adequate receiver, but does lose focus at times (more so as a receiver than a runner). He has some value as an emergency kickoff returner, but lacks blazing speed or loose hips to be very elusive with the ball in his hands. He does manage to find ways to gain yards, though. If he is still around in the later stages of the draft, he is worth using a pick on. If he can overcome his injury issues, he could be a capable backup (would be a nice fit serving as a caddy for LaDainian Tomlinson in San Diego).

negatives

Lacks ideal bulk and size, but compensates with above average strength and good quickness...Durability is a major concern, as he missed game action every season at Georgia due to various ailments...More of a north-south runner who lacks the loose hips and sudden burst to redirect and elude once he gets to the second level...More of a change-of-pace back due to his size, but while he has decent quickness, he lacks great timed speed and needs room to build up his acceleration...Stays low in his pads and has good body lean, but even with his weight room strength, he is not the type who can move the pile...Has good ball security skills as a runner, but will lose concentration running pass routes, as he takes his eye off the ball, looking surprised when it gets there and will more likely trap the ball that catch outside his frame...More of a pester type blocker in pass protection, as he gets good hand placement, but lacks a strong anchor or punch to prevent from getting pushed back into the pocket...Best as a straight-line runner, as he is really not a big juke type (could be better if he drops his pad level to finish).

2003: Missed five games of his high school senior year with a broken leg. 2004: Sat out the South Carolina clash (9/11) with a hamstring pull. 2005: Did not play vs. Louisiana-Monroe (9/17) with a left shoulder sprain. 2006: Suffered a right knee torn anterior cruciate ligament returning a kickoff vs. Vanderbilt (10/14), missing the rest of the schedule (vs. Mississippi State, Florida, Kentucky, Auburn, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech). 2007: Suffered a left shoulder sprain after diving into the end zone on a 50-yard touchdown run in the second quarter vs. Mississippi (9/29), briefly leaving the game...The following week, he suffered a left collarbone fracture vs. Tennessee (10/06), missing the next three contests vs. Vanderbilt, Florida and Troy.

Campus: 4.49 in the 40-yard dash

385-pound bench press

520-pound squat

35.5-inch vertical jump

31-inch arm length

10-inch hands. Combine: 4.55 in the 40-yard dash

Bench pressed 225 pounds 26 times

36-inch vertical jump

10'8" broad jump.

Attended Tucker (Ga.) High School, playing football for head coach Bill Ballard

Atlanta Journal-Constitution Super 11, Super Southern 100 and Class AAAA All-State choice as a senior

Added Fox Sports Net All-South second-team, Super Prep Elite 50, All-American and All-Dixie accolades

Rivals.com Top 100, Southeast Elite, Georgia Top 50 pick and rated the fourth-best running back in the nation by Tom Lemming's Top 100 squad

The Prep Star Dream Team 100 choice played in just seven games as a senior due to a broken leg he suffered in a game vs. South Forsyth High

Still rushed for 1,632 yards and 13 touchdowns as a junior, and in seven games during his senior year he added 941 yards and 17 scores

The team finished with a 12-1 record in junior season and a 12-2 record in his final campaign, when he also started at defensive back.

Public Relations major

Born 5/15/86

Resides in Tucker, Georgia.