2020 Raiders Draft Prospect
Name: Cameron Brown
Position: Outside Linebacker
School: Penn State University
Height: 6’4”
Weight: 233 pounds
Stats
Coverage
Despite his long frame, Brown shows a comfort in space, and a knack for making plays. With this in mind, his long arms and ability to flip his hips in either direction, Brown should not leave the field. He fits in a conventional defense as an outside linebacker that will excel in either space or man. What separates Brown is the micro-adjustments he makes during a route. With a slight shift of his weight, he can turn to give him the best angle to make the play. In the NFL, this trait should keep him busy within the confines of a defense.
Speed
Brown’s explosions benefits him and the defense in several, potentially dynamic ways. As a rusher, his long strides allow him to get his outside foot behind the heel of the blocker. Once this occurs, that battle ends. Next, he closes on the ballcarrier on the boundary almost immediately. Most importantly, staying with tight ends, the occasional wideout and backs vertically is a product of his burst.
Tackling
Again, Brown’s frame belies an actual thump quality to his hit. Granted, his tackle radius keeps him in every play in his area. Yet, he wraps and will either drive the shoulder into the ball or use a quick punch to jar the football loose. The timing helped force four fumbles during his tenure in Happy Valley. Additionally, his reach and grip help to negate any overpursuit.
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Raiders Fit
While we’ve discussed divisional threats with other players, others do exist. If the Raiders hope to contend eventually for a Super Bowl, they need to keep an eye on the conference. Hidden under the news and notes of the success of Lamar Jackson is Mark Andrews. The Ravens’ tight end built chemistry with Jackson. In sitting down inn zone or flying down the seam, Andrews gives Jackson the big play tight end that teams covet and defenses worry about. Andrews will give the Raiders an immediate headache. In the past decade, can you name a single linebacker employed by the team that consistently stayed with tight ends and did not get embarrassed? From Malcolm Smith to Tahir Whitehead, the Raiders continue to fail in finding another to stop the aforementioned tight end bleeding. Although he’s not a popular name, players like Andrews remain a thorn in the side for the Silver and Black.
Why Brown?
The Raiders need to evolve. Paul Guenther remains fixated using Mike Zimmer’s defense. Yet, he continues to implement the wrong players. On the outside, he needs athletic, twitchy linebackers that can cover, but also support the run. With a Day Three pick, depending on combine, Brown makes complete sense here. Teams feast on the perimeter against the Raiders because of no linebacker speed. To his credit, Brown would eradicate big gains on flat passes and back routes to his side. More importantly, he would give the a fighting chance against tight ends, which is something they sorely lack. From subpackages to potentially starting, Brown would give the Raiders options.
