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Ronnie Brown RB Auburn 6’1 224
By: Robert Davis

Ronnie Brown has emerged to become one of the top RB prospects in the 2005 NFL Draft. He hasn’t gotten the full attention he deserves because he splits carries with another top RB prospect in Cadillac Williams, but Brown has made the most of his opportunities. When Williams went down with an injury half way through the 2002 season, Brown came on and finished the season with 175 carries for 1,008 yards and 13 TD. Last season as a junior, Williams was back, and Brown’s numbers dipped to 445 yards on 96 carries, with 4 TD. Brown is also a talent in baseball, being drafted out of high school by the Seattle Mariners.

Brown is one of the more complete backs in this draft. Brown has great size and very good speed. He is a physical runner that is very tough to bring down. He will move the pile an extra two yards once he is hit. But Brown also has the cutting ability to make the first defender miss, and the speed to get to the perimeter and break the long run. Sharing the backfield with Williams may be a blessing in disguise for Brown. To get on the field, Brown has lined up at FB quite a bit during his career, and it has made him a very good blocker. He’s shown to be a solid lead blocker, so picking up blitzes in the backfield is something he already knows how to do. Ronnie is also a quality receiver out of the backfield, displaying soft hands when asked to catch the ball. Brown is a guy everyone would love to have on their team, as he will do whatever it takes to get the job done.

I do not see any pressing weaknesses with Brown. The only thing I can mention is that he has had a couple nagging injuries during his time at Auburn, but nothing serious. One can also bring up the fact that he hasn’t had to be the focal point of the offense, but during his sophomore year he proved he could be the man to carry an offense. You could also spin that as a positive, as Brown doesn’t have the wear and tear most power backs have coming out of college.

Ronnie Brown came close to declaring for the NFL Draft last year, but made the right decision in returning to Auburn for his senior year. Even though he still has to share the spotlight with Cadillac Williams, Brown has improved his stock, and looks like a potential first round pick at this point. He has the look of a Corey Dillon with more power in my eyes, and is going to have a very good NFL career.

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