Saturday, May 1, 2021

WR Amon-Ra St Brown Scouting Reports and Articles


Scouting Reports:








Rankings:


2021 NFL Draft Rankings: WR 10-50 (13. Amon-Ra St. Brown, USC | 6'1/195
(Comp: Tyler Boyd):  I give you the bizarro Rashod Bateman. Whereas Bateman, a true outside receiver, was forced into the slot and played down in 2020, St. Brown, a true slot, was forced outside in 2020 and also played down. Funny how that works!  The things that made St. Brown good in the slot since Day 1 of his true freshman year at USC were his ability to sift through traffic, exceptional footwork and body control, and his ability to hang onto the ball while in traffic and turn upfield, make a guy miss or break a tackle.  St. Brown consistently shows a nice connection with his quarterback, he runs good routes, provides a nice throwing window, and has a good awareness of what he’s doing, whether it’s searching for a soft spot in the zone or tracking the ball in the deep sector. He provided chain-moving reliability and a consistent source of YAC.   What St. Brown never was, unfortunately, was an exceptional athlete. He’s not terribly quick off the line, and he categorically lacks long speed. He also had an issue on the boundary with physical press corners who harassed him with more post-snap contact than he preferred.  St. Brown’s strengths played down, while his weaknesses were more clearly displayed. In the NFL, he should head back to the slot, where he could have a very Tyler Boyd-like career.) (3-10-21):  https://www.nbcsports.com/edge/article/rankings/2021-nfl-draft-rankings-wr-10-50

Articles:

Amon-Ra St. Brown, named for the Egyptian god, is the brother of Packers WR Equanimeous, is the son of a former Mr. Universe and can fluently speak three languages. Chase Goodbread explores why the USC standout "can change the culture of a team." (4-19-21):  https://www.nfl.com/news/back-2-campus/usc-wr-amon-ra-st-brown-was-built-by-his-father-for-the-nfl

My Guys: Mark Schofield's favorite prospects in the 2021 NFL draft (Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, USC - One of the traits that scouts look for in players is “competitive toughness.” That willingness to be better than the player across from them, to do anything they can to help a team win. It matters at every position, and on both sides of the football.  Amon-Ra St. Brown checks that box with ease, and it is why he is one of “my guys” in this draft class. As I wrote in my notes, “he wants to kill you” on the field. He will attack receivers downfield as a blocker and USC used him as a crack blocker working inside, and while he sometimes got roughed up cracking down, he showed no fear in those moments. St. Brown also showed the ability to beat press coverage, particularly on a slant route touchdown against UCLA.  He also has a short memory. Against the Bruins he let a pass go through his hands for an interception, but he came back with a tough catch later in the game and then caught the game-winner on a fade route in the red zone. I am a huge fan of his game, and think he can be a difference maker at the next level. From his experience to his competitive toughness, his short memory and his football intelligence, and his ability to offer a complete route tree, St. Brown is a plug-and-play slot receiver at the next level.  I’d be banging the table for him at the start of Day Two for any offense, as I think he is a scheme diverse receiver that can operate in any system. Teams might view him as a slot-only WR, but I think the limited examples of him beating press could see him offer time as a Z receiver as well. Maybe it is the Patriots fan in me, but watching him I kept seeing Julian Edelman in my mind. St. Brown is a bit bigger, but both players are tough, feisty receivers that can operate as slot receivers or as flankers on the outside.  *Glares at Bill Belichick.*) (4-16-21):  https://touchdownwire.usatoday.com/lists/2021-nfl-draft-justin-fields-jaycee-horn-amon-ra-st-brown/

Pro day roundup: South Carolina CB Horn puts on show (Amon-Ra St. Brown
USC · WR:  St. Brown set a goal of 4.4 seconds for his 40-yard dash heading into Wednesday's workout. He came up a bit short of that mark, but still posted a good time with runs of 4.51 and 4.52 seconds. The brother of Green Bay Packers WR Equanimeous St. Brown recorded a 38.5 inch vertical jump, a broad jump of 10 feet, 7 inches and an impressive 20 reps on the bench press. He measured 5-foot-11, 197 pounds with a 9 1/8-inch hand and 30 3/8-inch arm.  In an average year, St. Brown would likely go no later than early in the second round, but the depth of this year's wide receiver class figures to push him down the board a bit.  "To me, Amon-Ra St. Brown, as a football player, is going to be one of the top 40 players in the draft," said Daniel Jeremiah during Wednesday's Path to the Draft Pro Day Special. "But because of the sheer number of wideouts, some teams are going to be patient because they can wait and still get a quality player. He's probably going to go in the back end of the second round and maybe even in the third round, which means you're getting a heck of a football player and a tremendous value with somebody like this.") (3-24-21):  https://www.nfl.com/news/south-carolina-usc-pro-days-jaycee-horn-soars

PFF highlights a crucial aspect of Amon-Ra St. Brown's NFL appeal (2-14-21):  https://trojanswire.usatoday.com/2021/02/14/pff-highlights-a-crucial-aspect-of-amon-ra-st-browns-nfl-appeal/

2021 NFL Draft: Tiering the loaded WR class that might surpass 2020's rookies (TIER 3 - AMON-RA ST. BROWN, USC:  St. Brown’s best year came as a sophomore when he played primarily in the slot for the Trojans and recorded his lone 1,000-yard season. With Michael Pittman Jr. entering the 2020 NFL Draft, St. Brown was bounced outside and was once again a top target for USC quarterback Kedon Slovis in 2020. He led the Pac-12 in receptions (41), touchdowns (7) and contested catches (8).  St. Brown’s strength lies in his ability to make use of the full route tree from either the slot or outside and in his distinct talent to make defenders miss after the catch. His lack of explosiveness is a slight cause of concern, but that hasn't stopped him producing at the college ranks — and the same can be said about his pro potential.) (2-9-21):  https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2021-nfl-draft-college-football-tiering-wr-class-2020-rookies

College Football 2020: PFF’s All-Pac-12 Team (First-Team: Amon-Ra St. Brown, USC
One area of emphasis for St. Brown this year was to get stronger at the catch point, and he took a big step forward in that regard.  His eight contested catches led the Pac-12 — three fewer than he had in 2018 and 2019 combined.) (12-22-20):  https://www.pff.com/news/college-football-2020-pffs-all-pac-12-team

WR Watch: Toney shows off versatility (Amon-Ra St. Brown, USC:  Although he only had 73 yards receiving, St. Brown made a big impact in the comeback win over UCLA. He was a reliable chain-mover for quarterback Kedon Slovis, and the junior wideout flashed his entire skill set. He's a natural hands catcher, which was illustrated on an early third-down conversion on an out route with a cornerback flashing underneath. There was a nifty catch-and-run on a short pass from Slovis too. St. Brown's first touchdown was an awesome release off the line of scrimmage near the end zone before breaking to the inside on a slant.   Late in the third, St. Brown did drop a pass over the middle that resulted in an interception, his only hiccup in the game that was a big one. But he rebounded with the game-winning touchdown with under 30 seconds to go, a high-point pluck on a fade route in the end zone.) (12-14-20):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/news/2021-nfl-draft-wide-receiver-stock-watch-floridas-kadarius-toney-demonstrates-his-full-scale-versatility/

2021 NFL Draft: Midseason wide receiver rankings (8. AMON-RA ST. BROWN, USC (JUNIOR):  While St. Brown racked up 1,000 yards as a sophomore from the slot in 2019 with Michael Pittman Jr. and Tyler Vaughns holding it down on the outside, the former five-star recruit has been producing through three games this season as primarily an outside receiver. He’s got the kind of wiggle before and after the catch that you want at the position. For his career, he’s broken 27 tackles on 156 receptions. While there may not be one single thing that St. Brown hangs his hat on, there’s also nothing in his game one could consider a shortcoming.  At 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, St. Brown doesn’t have to be pigeonholed into one particular role at the next level. He has a body type that can line up anywhere on the field, run a full route tree and still win. Combine that with some serious “want to” that he displays weekly, and you’ve got a top prospect.) (12-2-20):  https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2021-nfl-draft-midseason-wide-receiver-rankings

NFL draft matchups: Trevor Lawrence returns to action, with Justin Fields nipping at his heels (USC WR Amon-Ra St. Brown vs. Utah:  The 6-1, 190-pound St. Brown has stacked back-to-back 100-yard games to start what could be his final college season. We want to see more out of him.  The problem hasn't been his statistical production (14 catches on 21 targets for 213 yards). It’s that he had two drops in the opener and hasn’t done much on deep balls (two catches for 84 yards on seven targets 20 yards or more downfield), in the red zone and after the catch.  If St. Brown wants to establish himself as a potential top-50 pick this spring, he’s going to need to stack a few more big performances. This will be Utah’s first game of the season following a few COVID-related cancellations. Even though the NFL draft gutted the Utes’ talented defense, Utah always seems to produce high quality players on that side of the ball.) (11-19-20):  https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-draft-matchups-trevor-lawrence-returns-to-action-with-justin-fields-nipping-at-his-heels-211307237.html

WR Watch: Moore goes for 200-plus again (Amon-Ra St. Brown, USC:  The biggest play of St. Brown's seven-snag, 113-yard, one-touchdown effort in the win over Arizona came in the third quarter on a long ball on a post from Kedon Slovis in which the junior receiver elevated to make a spectacular grab. He again showcased his bounce on an in-breaking grab on the game-winning drive, on which St. Brown was the go-to target, making four catches as USC marched down the field. Brown has the body type that's trendy in today's NFL and looks like a high-caliber athlete who can separate and turn short passes into large gains with his YAC capabilities.) (11-16-20):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/news/2021-nfl-draft-wide-receiver-stock-watch-elijah-moore-eclipses-1000-yard-season-north-carolina-duo-explodes/

Week 11 College Football news, schedule, live blog and more (St. Brown is quickly affirming his status as a legitimate Round 2 draft prospect, and his ability to be “the guy” for Slovis in the clutch only cements that fact.) (11-15-20):   https://www.profootballnetwork.com/week-11-college-football-news-schedule-live-blog-and-more/

Week 10 College Football news, schedule, live blog and more (Draft prospects at wide receiver come up big for USC in season-opening win (4:20 PM):  The USC Trojans hit the field for the first time in 2020 this afternoon and wound up out-reaching the Arizona State Sun Devils by a single point. Amon-Ra St. Brown and Tyler Vaughns, who were both mentioned Tony earlier, each had seven catches in the victory, and St. Brown carried on where he left off last year, reaching the 100-yard mark. Both St. Brown and Vaughns are intriguing wideouts in the 2020 class; they don’t necessarily add to the top of the group, but they both will fill out the depth after the first two rounds. St. Brown is younger and more electric after the catch, but both St. Brown and Vaughns should have a role on Sundays. IC.  Great WR/DB battle in ASU/USC game (12:30 PM):  I mentioned USC receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown this morning during the game day preview, someone I graded as a potential first-round pick. He’s locked in a tight battle against former Trojan Jack Jones, who’s in his second season at Arizona State. Jones is a terrific cover cornerback with excellent ball skills, but he comes with marginal size and projects as a dime back at the next level.  This is a terrific matchup in this game.) (11-8-20):  https://www.profootballnetwork.com/week-10-college-football-news-schedule-live-blog-and-more/

2021 NFL Draft: The top draft prospect on every team in the Pac-12 (USC — WR AMON-RA ST. BROWN:  St. Brown is the highest-ranked Pac-12 player on the PFF draft board that we’ll actually get to see this fall, at 23rd overall. He was the slot receiver in USC’s offense last season, but with Michael Pittman Jr. gone to the NFL, there’s a chance we’ll see more of him outside. He’s a creative route-runner who is dynamic after the catch, as well. He broke 18 tackles on 77 receptions a season ago.) (11-5-20):  https://www.pff.com/news/draft-top-2021-nfl-draft-prospect-on-every-team-in-the-pac-12

NFL draft: Best Pac-12 prospects who are playing this fall (2. USC WR Amon-Ra St. Brown:  The young brother of the Green Bay Packers’ Equanimeous St. Brown (2018 sixth-round pick), the Trojans wideout took a step forward last year after a promising freshman season in 2018.  St. Brown has top-50 talent and could enter the late Round 1 picture, catching more passes from possible future top-10 pick QB Kedon Slovis.  St. Brown has mostly worked in the slot in his two years at USC, flashing some great hands, yards-after-the-catch skills and tremendous body control. We expect him to stack some big performances this season, starting with the season opener against Arizona State on Saturday.  Big comp here, but St. Brown gives Chris Godwin vibes. He faces questions only about whether his physique is developed enough and whether he can play as effectively outside against press coverage.) (11-5-20):  https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-draft-best-pac-12-prospects-who-are-playing-this-fall-223258030.html

College Football: Ranking the top 25 wide receivers ahead of Week 10 (21. AMON-RA ST. BROWN, USC - St. Brown is a prime candidate in the Pac-12 to skyrocket this season as he becomes more of a focal point in USC’s offense and starts to see more reps on the outside. He is the highest-graded returning wideout in the conference and is bound to retain that No. 1 spot in 2020 with his fluidity and route-running ability.) (11-4-20):  https://www.pff.com/news/college-football-ranking-top-25-wide-receivers-week-10-2020

NFL Draft Rumors & News: Devonta Smith ranked above Jaylen Waddle? (With the likelihood that WR Amon-Ra St. Brown has played his last game at USC, do you think there’s a chance he could move up into the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft? Or is he strictly a second-day prospect?  There’s a very good chance he ends up in the first round, especially if he runs fast prior to the draft. He’s an explosive, home-run-hitting receiver who is also a very good pass catcher.) (9-16-20):  https://www.profootballnetwork.com/nfl-draft-rumors-news-pauline-alabama-smith-waddle/

College Football: PFF's 2020 Preseason All-PAC 12 Team (FIRST TEAM: AMON-RA ST. BROWN, USC:  St. Brown is a fluid and sudden route-runner who is more than capable of winning on the outside. He saw only 39 targets against single coverage last year but generated separation on 22 of those targets.) (8-21-20):  https://www.pff.com/news/college-football-pffs-2020-preseason-all-pac-12-team

2021 Draft: Pac-12 prospects to know (WR Amon-Ra St. Brown:  Brother of Packers' 2018 sixth-round pick Equanimeous, Amon-Ra is the next awesomely named St. Brown with NFL talent. And the younger of the two siblings is primed to go much earlier in the draft. At 6-1 and 195 pounds, St. Brown has the frame of a separation-based wideout, and while he's not Davante Adams as a route runner just yet, he demonstrates serious wiggle off the line and when he tries to free himself from cornerbacks. Also, after the catch, he's rather elusive, seemingly never complacent with just falling forward. Because of his suddenness and juice downfield, along with his YAC abilities, St. Brown should get some first-round buzz. He caught 77 passes for 1,042 and six touchdowns as a redshirt sophomore in 2019.) (8-18-20):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/news/2021-nfl-draft-pac-12-prospects-to-know-after-conference-cancels-fall-college-football-season/

2020 Pac-12 Preseason Summer Scouting Preview (Over the years, the Trojans have placed a lot of receivers in the top 90 selections of the draft, though they often did not pan out.  The true junior is a great combination of big-play ability and natural receiving skills. He consistently comes away with the home-run reception, but at the same time he makes the ordinary catch with ease. He’s quick, fast and very tough to cover. St. Brown has a slight frame and will struggle in battles and against press coverage, but he does not back down to a challenge. I love his upside and feel he’s destined to be a first-round pick.) (8-17-20):  https://www.profootballnetwork.com/2020-pac-12-preseason-summer-scouting-preview/3/

2021 NFL Draft: Preseason wide receiver rankings (5. AMON-RA ST. BROWN, USC:  St. Brown is crafty well beyond his years and has been productive for the Trojans ever since he stepped foot on campus. He played the slot role for them last season in every game except against Cal (5-of-6 targets for 85 yards). Don’t think for a second he was thrust into that role because he can’t beat coverage on the outside. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound St. Brown was the only USC starter with a versatile enough skill set to line up in the slot — the 6-foot-4 Michael Pittman Jr. and 6-foot-2 Tyler Vaughns would have been ill-suited.  For a slot-only wideout, St. Brown can win at every level of the football field and had nine deep receptions last season. He’s at his best with the ball in his hands, breaking 18 tackles last season.  2020 Outlook:  Michael Pittman’s 100-plus targets from a year ago and spot on the outside are up for grabs, so expect Brown to fill those shoes admirably in 2020. He also returns to one of the best quarterback situations in the country, as sophomore Kedon Slovis had outstanding accuracy numbers in his true freshman season.) (8-11-20):  https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2021-nfl-draft-preseason-wide-receiver-rankings-jamarr-chase

The best slot receivers in the 2021 NFL Draft (Amon-Ra St. Brown, USC:  In terms of a player who may play as a pure slot in the NFL, St-Brown may be the best of them all. The traits St-Brown possesses showcase everything a team would in a slot receiver. The suddenness, vice-grip hands, and yards after the catch ability are terrific in the case of St-Brown. With football bloodlines, St-Brown is going to be a guy with his stock through the roof.  All of those traits are just the base of St. Brown’s game, however. He has elite body control and delightful ball skills in addition to that. If a team wrote up an ideal middle of the field target, St. Brown could be that guy. With those route-running skills, St. Brown threatens all directions of the field and all levels as well. This young man will hear his name called early in the 2021 NFL Draft, as he deserves.) (8-1-20):  https://www.profootballnetwork.com/the-best-slot-receivers-in-the-2021-nfl-draft/

Top 2021 USC draft prospects can bring Trojans back to prominence (Amon-Ra St. Brown, Wide Receiver, Junior (6’1″, 195 pounds):  Like the 2020 draft class, the 2021 group of wide receivers is historically good. One player who is not getting enough hype is the explosive Amon-Ra St. Brown. Amon-Ra, the brother of Green Bay Packers’ wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown, is electric and a prospect who will ascend up draft boards during the 2020 season.  His 2019 stats aren’t jaw-dropping by any means, as he secured 77 receptions for 1,042 yards and 6 touchdowns. With that said, he is poised for big-time production in 2020. He is very fluid, highlighted by his superior route running and cutting ability. His game includes impressive change-of-direction movement, the ability to create yards after the catch in chunks, and the capacity to stretch the field.  An underrated quality of St. Brown’s game is his ability to win at the catch point, as is highlighted in the clip below.  In a star-studded 2021 wide receiver class, it may be hard for Amon-Ra St. Brown to crack the first round, but he will go early on Day 2 and be a very productive NFL player for a long time.) (7-8-20):  https://www.profootballnetwork.com/top-2021-usc-trojans-draft-prospects/

USC wide receivers St. Brown and Vaughns have NFL potential in 2020 (Amon-Ra St. Brown, Junior:  Amon-Ra St. Brown has a seat reserved on the all-name team, and his spot on the all-game team is all but locked up as well. The only thing that’s not locked up is St. Brown himself in coverage, as he went for 77 catches, 1,042 yards, and six scores in 2019. St. Brown’s skill set is conducive to the one that leads to consistent success at the NFL level, and it’s one that prioritizes the need to separate.  St. Brown has a bit of a slight frame at 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, but it’s not a hindrance; rather, St. Brown’s build and short-range athleticism allow him to hone into the nuances of his route running. As evidenced in the clip below, St. Brown is a very sudden athlete who can halt and generate momentum with the snap of a finger. He routinely uses this suddenness to create space between himself and defenders.  St. Brown also knows how to manipulate defenders’ blind spots when intermediate separation proves hard to come by. Watch in the clip below, as St. Brown draws the defender’s eyes inside, hovers into the defender’s blind spot, and at that moment, wraps around to the right, tipping the defender’s balance with a subtle brush of his arm. St. Brown can create space in different ways, and this is what makes him such a dangerous receiving threat.  However, it’s not just making space that matters. A player also has to do something with the space allocated to him. This is another area where St. Brown thrives. He’s extremely slippery after the catch and has a penchant for slicing through tackles and using his change-of-direction skills to evade pursuers. St. Brown’s prowess both before and after the catch will undoubtedly cement his status as one of not just USC’s best wide receivers in 2020, but one of the best in the PAC-12.) (6-25-20):  https://www.profootballnetwork.com/usc-wide-receiver-2020-headlined-amon-ra-st-brown-tyler-vaughns/

Early 2021 NFL Draft positional rankings (5. Amon-Ra St. Brown, USC:  St. Brown is a crafty and fluid route-runner who also had to split targets in a loaded USC receiving corps. He caught 60 balls for 750 yards as a true freshman and followed that up with 77 catches for 1,042 yards last year. While he’s been primarily a slot the past two years, he has the suddenness and athleticism to win from the outside.) (6-11-20):  https://www.pff.com/news/college-football-early-2021-nfl-draft-positional-rankings

3 College Wide Receivers Lions Should Keep Eye On (2. USC WR Amon-Ra St. Brown: St. Brown could be a nice deep target for Matthew Stafford in 2021.  He wasn't used a lot in that role as a sophomore a season ago. However, when he was, he was ultra effective.  According to PFF, he caught nine of his 14 targets of 20-plus yards for 376 yards and five touchdowns. He also hauled in five of his six contested targets on those downfield passes.  And of all the college receivers returning in 2020, he recorded the third-most receptions out of the slot with 66 catches.  He's an intriguing prospect for Quinn to keep an eye on throughout the fall.) (6-9-20):  https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/3-college-wide-receivers-lions-should-keep-an-eye-on

NFL Draft 2021: A surprising take in the top 10 wide receiver rankings (10. Amon-Ra St. Brown, USC:  If we were ranking players based on their names, than Amon-Ra St. Brown would be listed as my undisputed WR1. Unfortunately, these rankings are exclusively based on how I expect these players to stack up for the 2021 NFL Draft. St. Brown has functioned as WR2 in his first two seasons, behind newly drafted Michael Pittman.  Now, St. Brown has the opportunity to seize the WR1 mantle, and his pairing with true sophomore Kedon Slovis is one of the best in college football. A great blend of size and speed, St. Brown is also a well-polished route runner with strong concentration at the catch point. He’s a candidate to be a serious riser throughout the season.) (5-19-20):  https://www.profootballnetwork.com/2021-wide-receiver-rankings-nfl-draft/

PFF's early list of players to watch ahead of the 2021 NFL Draft (DeVonta Smith is a scintillating deep threat for Alabama who returned to the Crimson Tide for his senior season, likely to add more mass to his 6-foot-1, 175-pound frame.) (4-29-20):  https://www.pff.com/news/college-football-pff-early-list-players-to-watch-ahead-of-2021-nfl-draft
Posted by LionsFan at 12:39 PM

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