If there was an ideal blueprint for a talented young player to navigate his way to the NFL, Fred Brown’s path has been just about the opposite of that.
The Broncos wideout, who had his first career start last Sunday in Indianapolis, attended an inner-city high school in Jackson, Mississippi, where he was lightly recruited. He managed to parlay his play there into a burgeoning career at Mississippi State, only to be kicked off the team before his senior season.
Then, after signing with the Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2017, the 25-year-old spent two-and-a-half seasons grinding for a chance to appear in an NFL game.