Steelers Draft Profile: Wide receiver, Marquise “Hollywood” Brown

The Pittsburgh Steelers could look at Antonio Brown’s cousin to replace their former All-Pro.

All stats come from soonersports.com

School: Oklahoma

Position: Wide Receiver

Height: 5’-9’’

Weight: 166 Ibs

Career Stats (2 Seasons): 132 Receptions, 2413 Yards, and 17 Touchdowns

Career Highlights: AP, ESPN and SI First Team All-American (2018), First Team All-Big 12 Conference (2018), and Biletnikoff Award semifinalist (2018)

Draft Projection: 1st Round, Pick: 15-25

Strengths

The biggest component of Marquise Brown’s game is his speed and quickness. He is a big play threat from the slot or on the outside and is a threat to score every time he touches the ball. He averaged over eighteen yards per reception for his career at Oklahoma in one of the most explosive offenses in the country. He is frequently compared to DeSean Jackson by draft experts and is that type of explosive prospect. He is the type of player that could potentially force defenses to scheme around stopping him. While he may never be a very physical player due to his size he is hard to play in press coverage due to his quickness and will go up and get jump balls.

Weaknesses

Brown’s size is his biggest question mark. It doesn’t limit him a ton as a player because he relies heavily on speed and quickness to win but it does raise durability questions. It is a concern that he may struggle to hold up to the rigors of the NFL at less than one hundred seventy pounds. He is also not going to participate at the Combine or at Oklahoma’s Pro-Day due to a foot injury.

Analysis of Potential Selection

Brown is one of the most exciting players in this draft class. He possesses the big play ability that teams cherish to stretch the field. In my opinion players like Jackson in his prime and Kansas City’s Tyreek Hill are a lot more valuable then their stats would suggest because of their explosiveness and effect on opposing defenses. If Pittsburgh selects Brown they would do well to study how the Chiefs deploy Hill in different ways to keep defenses on their heels. It is incredibly unlikely that “Hollywood” could replicate the numbers that Antonio Brown has been putting up for the Steelers, but if everything works out, he could provide an element of Brown’s game in the form of big plays while taking pressure off of other players like JuJu Smith-Schuster.

Grade for Potential Selection: B+

Antonio Brown is gone with the team agreeing to a deal with the Oakland Raiders and while JuJu Smith-Schuster has looked like a number one receiver he did benefit from the attention teams were forced to give Brown. Marquise Brown is someone that creative offensive coaches can build an offense around if he’s healthy and would open up a lot for other players in Pittsburgh. He is the type of guy that can take an outlet pass for a touchdown or burn a cornerback deep making him a great fit with Ben Roethlisberger who likes to throw the ball downfield. I am concerned by the injury questions but the upside is undeniable.

I would also have some concerns about replacing a disgruntled player with his cousin. In my opinion, Brown is the only wide receiver worth considering with the 20th pick. His value is hurt slightly however by a class with a lot of players at his position that could be a better value on day two.