Auburn fans should be genuinely excited about what USF transfer Byrum Brown brings to the quarterback position. Brown is a legitimate playmaker whose athletic ability forces defenses to strategically change how they operate. His ability to threaten the defense with his legs creates constant conflict, opening up one-on-one matchups on the perimeter and simplifying reads in the passing game. He won't be able to do it by himself, but I think Byrum Brown gives the Auburn offense tremendous upside. Here's a quick write-up about what he brings to the table.
Athleticism: A-
Brown owns a prototypical frame at 6’3”, 231 pounds and offers above-average athletic traits. He has adequate long speed and better-than-expected initial burst for a quarterback of his build. He accelerates efficiently, can change direction with balance, and shows the ability to evade in confined spaces. His size and movement abilities make him tough to bring down and a consistent threat as a runner.
Here's another example where the defense actually has a spy on Brown on third down. The spy is in fantastic position, but it doesn't matter. Brown runs right by the spy and then eviscerates this poor corner, demonstrating the speed, power, and agility that make him extremely difficult to contain.
Accuracy & Mechanics: C+
There's not necessarily anything fatal about how Byrum Brown delivers the football, his overall motion is fine. He has a bit of a wind up at times, where drops the ball below his waist. It slows his motion down a little bit and can cause some errant throws, but it's not awful.
The above throw is a quick, close-up example of Brown's motion. It's not necessarily intended to be an example of a bad throw. However, his motion does seem to break down a bit on the shorter, quicker throws where the ball needs to come out fast: quick game throws, now screens, etc. Here's a couple more examples:
The first ball is fine, it just takes a while to come out, and it's not a super accurate, driven throw. The second throw is pretty bad, and that's what can happen if your mechanics aren't tight. Overall this critique is a bit nit-picky, I'll admit that, but little stuff like this does matter, and it's why I rated his throwing mechanics where I did. It doesn't mean at all that Byrum Brown can't be successful, even with his current setup.
Decision making: B-
Byrum Brown has spent three years in Alex Golesh's system, and it shows on tape. He's decisive and rarely looks unsure of where the football should go, and you can tell many of the reads come to him instinctively. He's comfortable in the downfield passing game and in his ability to process RPOs. That said, he's not immune to making critical mistakes with the football. While he finished last season with a solid ratio of 28 touchdowns to just 7 interceptions, the tape suggests that number could have been higher, and SEC defenses have a way of making you pay for those. You can expect plenty of high-level quarterback play from Brown, but there will be a couple head-scratching interceptions.
Other Factors:
Pocket Awareness: C+
Anticipation/Instincts: C-
Off-Rhythm Plays: B+
3rd Down Production: B-
Overall Conclusion
I think Byrum Brown is a very solid college quarterback who provides a ton of value with what he can do in both the passing and running game. I know many of you have heard this stat, but he's one of twelve quarterbacks in the history of the NCAA who has thrown for 3,000 yards and rushed for 1,000 yards in a given season – that doesn't just happen. Alex Golesh still has to establish the run with good offensive line play and find receivers who can win matchups, but Byrum Brown is a huge asset and plenty good enough to win games in the SEC.
Honorable mention plays:
1.) 44 yard TD run
2.) 39 yard completion vs FAU - a bit of a questionable throw, but it was dropped in a bucket.
Creds:
Photo by VENUS MAJOR on Unsplash
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Great write-up. Thanks for including the clips. As always, interested to see if the athleticism looks as impressive with an SEC schedule. Here's to hoping.