The strange case of Bryce Brown (Eagles RB 7th round pick 2012)...
The intriguing story of Bryce Brown — a story of failed promise — isn't over yet. It might, in fact, just be getting started. Football fans in Tennessee and Kansas see Brown as an enigma, and for good reason.
The Philadelphia Eagles see a modest gamble with a nice upside.
Bryce Brown, 6-0, 220, 4.37 in the 40....
Brown, the former top-ranked national recruit, former one-and-done Vol and former flop at Kansas State, will get a chance to chase his NFL dream after all.
The Eagles selected Brown in the seventh round last Saturday, the 229th pick of the 2012 draft, an investment based on potential rather than production.
"To have an organization go out on a limb for me, especially with the things that have been said about me, that means a lot,'' Brown said during an interview on the Eagles' website.
It was telling that the interviewer didn't even know enough about the off-the-radar Brown to have a clue what things might have been said about him.
"That I'm selfish, that I'm not committed to the team,'' Brown said, filling in the blanks. "That's far from the truth … I'm all in with the team.''
He wasn't at Tennessee. After rushing for 460 yards as a freshman in 2009, he quit the following spring shortly after new coach Derek Dooley arrived to replace Lane Kiffin. He wasn't at Kansas State. After sitting out 2010 with the Wildcats, he failed to crack the starting lineup in 2011 and quit in September, having gained 16 yards on three carries.
"He isn't the bad guy people are making him out to be,'' former adviser Brian Butler told the Kansas City Star in an interview prior to the draft. "He is holding himself accountable for his decisions with all these teams. He is training every day.''
Brown, who dropped out of Kansas State last winter, trained in Tennessee, Miami and his hometown Wichita, according to the KC Star. His agent, Eric Armstead, said "more than 20'' NFL teams expressed some level of interest and that the Eagles, Lions and Chiefs held private meetings.
"Of all the teams and places I've gone,'' Brown told the Eagles' website, "I told my parents I felt the most comfortable in Philadelphia. It worked out fine.''
The Eagles were impressed that K-State coach Bill Snyder allowed Brown to participate in the school's Pro Day. They were further impressed when the 6-foot, 220-pound Brown ran a 4.37 40-yard dash.
"We spent a lot of time evaluating this kid,'' Eagles coach Andy Reid told reporters. "He's had kind of a wild ride through college football since being the number-one running back coming out of high school.''
That's an understatement.
Brown, who rose to fame at Wichita East High School, initially committed to Miami. But then he signed with UT's new coach, Kiffin. In 2009, Brown played a prominent role in support of starter Montario Hardesty. His talent was obvious. His future in Neyland Stadium was bright.
But Brown would later claim he never fit in at UT. He failed to show up for spring practice under Dooley, then ultimately asked for his release to transfer to Kansas State for family-related reasons.
"My daddy made the decision, that it would be best if I came home, so I did,'' Brown told the Eagles' website.
Dooley denied the release. The Browns appealed and were again denied. Brown's father, Arthur Brown Sr., hired Knoxville attorney Greg Isaacs to help the cause but UT never budged. In sworn affidavits presented by Isaacs to UT on the Browns' behalf, Bryce claimed depression and that he immediately realized Knoxville was too far from home. He also claimed he didn't fit in with his teammates, citing "a range of activities" including the armed robbery involving fellow freshmen Mike Edwards, Nu'Keese Richardson and Janzen Jackson.
Without a release from UT, Brown was not able to receive athletic financial aid while he sat out per NCAA transfer rules, at Kansas State in 2010.
He was on scholarship to start 2011, alongside brother Arthur Jr., a linebacker, but quit with little or no explanation by the end of September. "It just didn't work out,'' Brown said, "so I decided to leave and chase my dream to play at the next level."
"I did that and now I'm here.''
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said he pulled the trigger on Brown in the final round rather than get into an anticipated bidding war in free-agency.
"I spoke to a couple of teams,'' Roseman told reporters, "who said, 'why did you have to draft him?' and I kind of probed a little bit and it was because they thought they could get him as a free agent.''
Using a draft pick is a serious investment. The club did its homework.
"When you speak to Lane Kiffin, he just says this guy was going to be a star,'' Roseman said. "We spent enough time with him to get his full story and to feel comfortable with that.'' Roseman said the fact that Snyder allowed Brown to participate in K-State's Pro Day was significant.
"For him to be comfortable enough to have Bryce come back meant that he feels Bryce was very sorry for the way he handled things,'' said Roseman. "That meant a lot to all of us.'' Reid said offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg signed off on the pick, as did running backs coach Ted Williams.
"You're talking about a kid,'' said Reid, "who is an inch under 6 foot, and is 220 pounds and who runs a 4.4 forty. You're talking about tremendous, tremendous skills here. He catches the ball effortlessly and is a smooth, smooth runner.
"He has all the talent in the world. It's just a matter of trying things down here.''
It is an opportunity for which Brown is especially thankful in light of his sketchy portfolio.
"It makes me want to go out and work even harder for those guys and prove everybody wrong,'' he said, "and make them feel like they made the right decision. I'm not going to let anybody in that organization down.''
A couple of other organizations have heard that before.
Brown turns 21 in 9 days, an adult about to enter the professional world. They say a running back only has so many carries in him before the wear and tear break his stride. In that case, Brown has one thing going for him: He's starting his new chapter with fresh legs.
Even in the win da Phitins have me scratching my head.... You win 9-3 but the story of the game is Bryce Harper stealing home against you and how Hamels opened his stupid friggin mouth and said he INTENIONALLY hit Harper in his first AB (ya know the one where Harper would eventually score on that steal of home!).... Mr. Hamels welcome to the susp list ya dope.... This is NOT the way to get some positive mo going... He's been our best pitcher so far his year and with Lee possibly coming back next week it was looking like KK was headed back to the pen.... Welp, so much for that, now that he most likely will be need to fill Cole's turn in the rotation and that's only iffin Lee does come back... If he doesn't I guess we bring up someone from triple A.... Either way it's gonna hurt us and just plan olde stupid as sin to admit... MERCY!
Here is what Cole said "I was trying to hit him," Hamels said. "I mean, I'm not going to deny it."
That's great and all and I LOVE what he did... But STFU... Talking about it doesn't make you look tough... It cost your team a run and you will definitely be getting fined and lucky if you avoid a suspension... Never heard Bob Gibson saying stupid shit like that... And everyone KNEW he did it on purpose!
Ernest Graham would be an interesting guy to take a look at for some Fullback competition... he'd fit our scheme pretty well... iffen he's got anything left in the tank... he's a fierce little run blocker... and nifty runner
Welp at least my tirade woke up da Phitins.... Let's all hope Doc's personal issues are behind him and he can focus tomorrow night... Let's get this train rollin in the right direction! Woo woo
Fucking ridiculous...Bryz plays his ass off and the rest of the team doesn't feel like making any effort...
I just learned something from my 13 year old son,, he said a girl was "hommie hopping". Clever.
Haha it was a girl on TV. She was kissing some dude then later hooked up with his friend. He said she's hommie hopping. Funny stuff.
I think he means that the girl is "loose"...But I'm not entirely sure... @Jerky @fieldsr69
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Hockey and bazeball suk,...we sleep walkin',.. wesuk!!!!..GO Sixers!!!,.C,c,.CCc,C,cc!!!
Seriously God bless the former Soviet union. Only complaint was the Russian subtitles, but really, small price to pay for unlimited bliss.
@TheGreatJB99 Turn out the lights... The parties over? Can't hold a 2-0 lead against this lame O... Outshot 18-7 currently? Why can't we wake up against these guys? SMH
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After reading Lupes bluggr. Polk may be lookIn over his shoulder at Brown !!! This Guy Brown is intriging to say the least
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@Palm Feathers Youse don't know you shouldn't count eggs in this city before hatched... Where ya been? Well done... Now go put on some clothes!
Hey My FN horse was held back !!!!!! Fn 8 th. I coulda ran faster than 8 th. the fix was in. How did you do Bri ?
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TBT,..the debils have been outplaying,.hustling. outmucking,..out sticking,.outpassing,..and out shooting us all series. Do we need to PERK up?,..C,C,..CCCCCC!!!...yes,.wes does!!!!........GK.
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JB - You gotta quit takin the Husker Dline to the Omaha Zoo. An older silverback gorilla suffered a broke jaw when attacked by a young gorrila. Story didn't say which lineman did it LOL.
I was talking about our drafted players, plus I already reported that Welch signed like 2 days ago! Like totally whatevs...
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@TheGreatJB99 Conventional pot pie, wiff food stuffs in it....or a "JB Special" type pot pie?
Mmmmm...pot pie.....
