Getty Noah Brown
You couldn’t tell because there was no name or number on his jersey, but Noah Brown tallied the play of the day during the Dallas Cowboys’ annual Blue and White scrimmage Sunday evening at AT&T Stadium.
The fourth-year wide receiver hauled in a head-turning touchdown pass from Dak Prescott toward the end of the intrasquad practice, capping an impressive scoring drive.
Per the team’s in-house report, Prescott led the offense “roughly” 65 yards by completing eight consecutive balls — five to various tight ends, one to WR CeeDee Lamb, and a dump-off to running back Ezekiel Elliott — before finding Brown, who beat double coverage, in the right corner of the end zone.
The Cowboys later posted the highlight to their Twitter account.
QB throws 🏈 to WR for a touchdown 🙌😬
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Background on Brown
A 2017 seventh-round draft pick, Brown has spent more time on the trainer’s table than the field since entering the league. He made 13 appearances as a rookie, notching four grabs for 33 scoreless yards. A nagging hamstring injury torpedoed his sophomore campaign, limiting the 24-year-old to eight games and five catches for 54 yards. Brown missed all of 2019 on injured reserve after undergoing left knee surgery.
Brown played collegiately at Ohio State where he logged 411 yards and seven TDs on 33 receptions across 14 games (2014, 2016). Bleacher Report draft analyst Matt Miller compared Brown to former Jets WR Quincy Enunwa, while Pro Football Focus couched him as a developmental prospect.
Brown is a physical, well-built receiver that uses his long arms and above-average catch radius to his advantage in a variety of situations. He is one of the most fearless blockers in the draft class, and repeatedly put both linebackers and defensive back on the ground as a major cog in the Ohio State rushing attack. He still has a lot of work to do as a route-runner, but the big-play potential is there as he develops his game while likely contributing on special teams early in his career.
MM Praise; WR5 Inside Track?
Dallas head coach Mike McCarthy, he of an offensive background, could not help but notice — and laud — Brown’s standout effort. According to McCarthy, this simply was an extension of a solid training camp for the 6-foot-2, 225-pound pass-catcher.
“I think he’s doing a heck of a job,” he said, via David Helman of the Cowboys’ website. “Obviously, coming off his injury, just the things I’ve heard about him in the past. I’m excited for him. I think anytime you see a player go through a phase of injury and battle back like he has, obviously the potential that he showed coming out. He’s doing a heck of a job. I don’t think there’s been a practice where he hasn’t jumped up and made a play. He’s playing very well.”
Taking McCarthy’s remarks at face value, Brown solidified his standing on the 53-man regular-season roster. Behind Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup and Lamb are a smattering of others (Devin Smith, Jon’Vea Johnson, Tevin Jones, Aaron Parker) vying for two, maybe three spots, depending on how many receivers the club chooses to keep.
And with Cedrick Wilson grabbing hold of the WR4 role, Brown assumingly has done enough to survive final cuts, which must be finalized by Sept. 5.
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