2023 NFL Draft Player Profiles: Illinois DB Sydney Brown

From now until the 2023 NFL Draft takes place, we hope to scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top 10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents. Today, we’ll be profiling Illinois S Sydney Brown.

#30 Sydney Brown/DB Illinois – 5110 213 (Senior)

Senior Bowl Participant

MEASURABLES

— Rocked up body type, filled out frame with big hands
— Plays with hair-on-fire, fearless and relentless attitude that doesn’t back down from a challenge
— Physical and aggressive downhill player who flashes hit power and throws body weight around, fills alley and takes on bigger players in run game
— Embraces challenge against bigger players, routinely matched up on tight ends, and good technician that plays catch point well
— Experience lining up all over the field, versatile and comfortable rotating post-snap
— Good feel for route concepts in zone, good football IQ and understands distribution well
— Production spike in 2022
— Good hands and tracks the football well, finishes the play and nose for the ball in the air
— Team captain
— Excellent starting experience
— Athletic bloodlines

— Lacks top-end size and length, stockier and stubbier frame
— Doesn’t have big-time speed and will struggle to carry vertically against fast tight ends and won’t be as helpful against slot receivers
— Overaggressive and will overrun his gap
— Too easily fooled by playfakes and window dressing, takes the cheese too often, prone to ping-ponging around on the field
— Misses more tackles than you’d like when he doesn’t come to balance and play under control
— Can get boxed out by big tight ends
— INT numbers were hot and cold throughout career

— Turned 22 this March
— 47 career starts, five-year player
— Career: 320 tackles (10 TFL), 10 INTs, 2 TDs, 4 FFs
— 2022: Career-high six INTs along with 61 tackles (3.