Wide receiver Noah Brown
Year: Redshirt sophomore.
Height: 6 feet, 2 inches.
Weight: 222 pounds.
What stands out: His decision to leave Ohio State early and declare for this year’s draft shocked Ohio State fans, but his reasoning is sound. When he missed the entire 2015 season with a broken leg, he learned nothing should be taken for granted. “When I was hurt, I realized how quickly football could be taken away,” Brown said Friday at the NFL Scouting Combine. “This is the dream of my childhood. So I decided that with everything I did last year and being injured the year before that, this was the best opportunity.”
Notable: Last season, Brown had 32 catches for 402 yards and seven touchdowns. He tied a school record with four touchdown catches in a win over Oklahoma. But he didn’t have the type of season anyone thought would lead him to bolt for the NFL, and he had just one catch for 9 yards in 2014. Teams have been asking him about his choice at the combine. “A very tough decision,” Brown said. “It involved my support system, my family, a lot of prayer. But first, I believe in my ability 100 percent. I feel I’m somebody who belongs at this level. In 2015, I broke my leg and lost a year of being able to play. With the NFL, this opportunity is such a short window. Even though I didn’t have the stats that most people have, I made big-time plays in big-time situations. When my number was called, I made that play. I decided to come out and earn my keep in the NFL.”
Browns’ interest: The team has needs at almost all positions, and receiver is not one of the few exceptions.
Outlook: NFLDraftScout.com projects him as a third- or fourth-round pick.
— Nate Ulrich