Athletic Profile
Height: 5096
Weight: 211
Arm Length: 31 1/2”
40 Time: 4.47
Vertical: 40 1/2”
Broad Jump: 1010
3-Cone: N/A
Shuttle: N/A
Relative Athletic Score: 9.68
* Indicates Recorded At Pro Day
Statistics
2022: 5 PR - 56 TKL (16.5 MIS%) - 25 STOP - 6 INT - 6 PBU - 49.6 NFL - 3 PEN
2021: 2 PR - 67 TKL (17%) - 23 STOP - 0 INT - 2PBU - 96.3 NFL
Snap Count
DL: 191
BOX: 1,360
FS: 747
SLOT: 768
CB: 101
Pros
Instincts
Short Area Burst
Versatility
Ball Skills
Physicality in Run Game
Motor
Cons
Man Coverage
Tackling Consistency
Flexibility in Lower Half
Single High Ability
Summary
Sydney Brown was a two star athlete in football and track at the high school level before committing to Illinois. An immediate impact player, he was a five year starter for the Illini. A two time All-Big 10 player, he piled up awards his senior season, including being a stand out player at the Senior Bowl.
Brown is a versatile, intelligent safety with tons of experience. Illinois used him all over the field, he split time at both safety spots, nickel, linebacker and even some spot work at EDGE. Brown is a willing and capable run defender. He plays with excellent instincts both as a force player and a flow player. He displays top notch explosion and burst flying down the alley from the high safety position. His smaller frame can be a hindrance at times in terms of getting off blocks but his quickness and instincts often means he beats blockers to the punch. As a tackler Brown brings power behind his pads far greater than his size indicates. A true enforcer on the back end he deals body blows to ball carriers. However lack of length does limit his tackle radius. Brown also has a poor habit of dipping his head at contact, which leads him to being beaten in the hole far too often.
As a coverage player Brown’s burst and instincts also shine through. He closes out of his drop on targets extremely quickly. He displays excellent communication skills on the back end, rarely vacating his indented assignment. 2022 was a breakout year in terms of ball production. Brown routinely shows excellent body control and tracking ability when the ball is in flight. He has no issues playing through receivers bodies to break up passes despite below average length. Brown has enough top end speed to play single high when rotated back but will never be a full time player there. His best coverage fit is being down around the line of scrimmage or in a robber role. Brown lacks the size to consistently guard TEs in man coverage. He also is not a fluid mover when put in reactionary situations, this often shows in his inability to contain quicker players one on one out in space.
Sydney Brown has one of the highest floors of any defensive backs in this class. His football IQ, versatility and motor indicate he is at worst a strong special teams player. Given his strong testing numbers and ball production in 2022 he projects to be a Day 2 pick in this year's draft. Brown best fits as a starting SS safety in a defense that allows him to move around and play freely in space. Landing with a team that takes advantage of his versatility and ability to fly downhill will allow him to fully unlock his skillset at the next level.
Grade: 6.27 - Mid to Late Second Round Grade (Potential Starter)
Games Watched: Michigan State (2022), Minnesota (2022), Virginia (2022), Wisconsin (2022)
Pro Comp: Talanoa Hufanaga