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The Nittany Lions standout will be joining one of the NFL’s top defenses.
Ji’Ayir Brown became the fourth Penn State player to be selected on Friday, the second day of the 2023 NFL Draft. Brown was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers as the team’s third round selection, which was the 87st overall pick.
We’ve covered Brown’s ascent from a JUCO prospect to Rose Bowl MVP to NFL Draft pick in the past two years, as overviewed in his draft profile:
The story of Ji’Ayir Brown is one of the reasons we love college football. While his career started with no interest and just another face in the crowd on his JUCO roster, it ended on a podium in Pasedena as the Defesnive MVP of the Rose Bowl.
Brown was quickly able to work his way into a starting role during his first season at Lackawana Community College in 2018, before being named as NEFC Defensive Player of the Year in 2019. He moved on to State College in time for the 2020 season, rated as the ninth-overall JUCO player in the class. He worked his way onto the field as a reserve in 2020, and leveraged that experience to win a tight position battle to become the starting safety opposite of Jaquan Brisker in 2021.
It didn’t take long for Brown to show why he earned that starting spot, picking off a pass as time expired to clinch a hard-fought victory at Wisconsin. He continued playing at a high level thoughtout the season, tying for the national lead with six interceptions, while leading the team with two fumble recoveries and coming in third with 73 tackles on the season. He showed a penchant for key plays throughout the year, most notably with a 87-yard touchdown on an interception return to seal a victory at Maryland.
Brown continued to grow as a player, turning in exceptional performances from start-to-finish during the 2023 season as a team captain. He finished the season with a team-high 74 tackles, four interceptions, and two forced fumbles while also contributing 7.0 TFLs, 4.5 sacks, five quarterback hurries, three pass breakups and a fumble recovery. His versatility allowed him to thrive in new defensive coordinator Manny Diaz’s system, lining up and making plays all across the field. He was named Team MVP at the end of the regular season in recognition of one of the best season’s by a safety in the school’s history.
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By: Jared Slanina
Title: Penn State Safety Ji’Ayir Brown Selected in Third Round of NFL Draft
Sourced From: www.blackshoediaries.com/2023/4/28/23703711/penn-state-nittany-lions-football-safety-jiayir-brown-selected-in-third-round-nfl-draft-2023-49ers
Published Date: Sat, 29 Apr 2023 04:11:00 +0000
