Ole Miss Athletics
Bonus Alabama Game Week Scouting Report: Ole Miss Guard Ben Brown
Friday afternoon, probably around the time the Ole Miss football team was arriving in the Tuscaloosa area for Saturday's game at Alabama, word started to leak out of Mississippi that the Rebels would be without a key starter.
WCBI News reported that wide receiver Jonathan Mingo, whom we profiled Friday, is out due to a broken foot. Other reports indicated that he had suffered a fracture but would try and play with it.
Regardless, here is our substitution profile, on offensive lineman Ben Brown.
Ben Brown
Jersey: No. 55
Position: Guard
Height: 6-0.5
Weight: 315
DOB: 5/19/98
Draft eligible: 2022
Hometown: Vicksburg, Mississippi
High School: Saint Aloysius
Background
Three-star recruit according to 247Sports. Exercise science major. Plans to pursue a career in physical therapy. Academic standout. Was a member of the National Honor Society. Comes from a long line of Rebel football players including father, Tim and paternal grandfather, Allen who was a two-time Super Bowl champion, among others. Redshirt. Started at right guard in 2018 and 2019 before moving to center in 2020.
Pros
Experienced offensive lineman who has started at right guard for two seasons before moving to center. Brown possesses strong leg drive to open and seal lanes as a down blocker. He has low pads on combo blocks to uproot before working to the second level. Maintaining a wide base in pass protection, he has average foot quickness. Brown shows solid short-area quickness once he is out of his stance.
Cons
Severe balance issues stem from Brown leaning causing him to fall off blocks and allowing defenders to go over him frequently. Due to his overaggressiveness when trying to finish he ends up on the ground. At the second level, he is not decisive, missing with his strike and works unfavorable angles that he cannot adjust because of a lack of agility. Brown often fails to impact defenders with his indecisive punch. Quick-handed linemen make swift work of him in the run game. A lack of grip strength prevents him from latching on. Long opponents outreach him. Brown struggles with snap accuracy as a center, making the quarterback work for every other ball and even missing the mark completely.
Summary
Big guard who has played center for the Rebels. Brown possesses good leg drive to open lanes on down blocks. He struggles to stay on his feet, has indecisive hands and gets deconstructed by quick-handed defenders. Brown projects as a [pro] camp guard who has size and experience to compete for a practice squad spot. Because of the many holes in his game, he is unlikely to stick in the NFL.
Grades
4.9 (current value/5.4 potential value)
BamaCentral Analysis
The arrival of Utah transfer Orlando Umana (6-4, 315 pounds) allowed Ole Miss to move Brown back to right guard, where he's a lot more comfortable and a better fit, and keep Caleb Warren at left guard, where he started the final eight games of 2020. Regardless, Brown has still made a team-best 37 consecutive starts. Umana appeared in 40 career games for the Utes, including 26 starts (at center). Consequently, the starting five of Nick Broeker, Warren, Umana, Brown and Jeremy James is one of the biggest and experienced offensive lines in college football.
BamaCentral will profile numerous Ole Miss players this week the Crimson Tide prepares to host the Rebels at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday. Also check out NFL Draft Bible for more evaluations.
