Jarvis Brownlee Jr. 2024 NFL Draft Profile

The Louisville corner has played his best football during his two seasons with the Cardinals.

Prospect: Jarvis Brownlee Jr.
Position: Cornerback
School: Louisville
Year: Fifth-Year Junior

Background

Born Sept. 19, 2001 (age 22). A native of Miami Gardens, Fla., Brownlee played his first two years of high school ball at Hallandale and played primarily safety, then his final two years at Carol City where he made the switch to corner. As a senior, he helped Carol City go 9-3 with a district championship.

Regarded as the No. 544 prospect in the Class of 2019, he originally committed to his hometown school of Miami in June of 2018. He wound up decommitting from the Canes a week before the start of the early signing period, then committed to and signed with Florida State. He later enrolled in class in June of 2019.

Brownlee played in four games during his true freshman season, logging one tackle against Clemson. It proved to be the final year of Willie Taggart's run as FSU's head coach, and Brownlee opted to stay after the Noles hired Mike Norvell away from Memphis.

The cornerback's role took a large step forward in Norvell's first season. Playing in eight games and starting four during the nine-game COVID-shortened 2020 season, Brownlee logged 26 tackles, two for loss, an interception and a pass breakup.

By the 2021 season, Brownlee became a regular starter, playing in all 12 games and starting 11. That year, he was tied for second on the team in interceptions with two, and was second in the secondary in tackles with 51 - both behind First Team All-ACC safety Jammie Robinson. He also tallied three pass breakups, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble.

While the 2021 season was a career year up to that point, it was also a year where he drew ire from the FSU fanbase for inconsistencies in coverage, especially after he allowed a 59-yard touchdown in the final moments of the Noles' 20-17 loss to FCS opponent Jacksonville State.

In the ensuing 2022 spring ball, he sat out the start of practice due to an NIL dispute, then later entered the portal in late March. A few weeks later, he committed to and enrolled with Louisville.

There were still some struggles with lapses in coverage during his first season at Louisville, but Brownlee actually finished as one of the Louisville's top statistical defenders. He logged the third-most tackles on the team with 66, tied for the second-most interceptions with two, and tied for the second-most pass breakups in the ACC with 12.

During the 2023 season, Brownlee was somewhat limited in the final few games of the season due to a foot injury, but was still among one of the best cornerbacks in the ACC. In 11 games and nine starts, he finished 30 tackles, one for loss, six pass breakups, an interception and a fumble recovery.

Additionally, Brownlee took a massive step forward with his efforts in coverage during his final season in college. His 78.1 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus was tied for the fourth-best in the ACC, and 29th in the Power Five (min. 300 coverage snaps).

After declaring for the draft, Brownlee had a standout week down in Mobile, Ala. for the Reese's Senior Bow. He was named as a standout in two of the three practice sessions by PFF, and picked off Notre Dame QB Sam Hartman in the game itself.

Measurements

At the NFL Combine, Brownlee measured in at 5 feet and 10 3/8 inches (5103) and 194 pounds, along with 9" hands and 31 1/4″ arms. At Louisville's Pro Day, Brownlee ran the 40-yard dash in 4.51 seconds, the short shuttle in 4.25 seconds, and the three-cone drill in 6.94 seconds. Finally at the Pro Day, Brownlee leapt 9 feet and 10 inches (118″) in the broad jump and 31.5″ in the vertical. Based on these measurements and numbers, Brownlee earned a Relative Athletic Score of 4.62 out of 10, ranking 1,332nd out of 2472 cornerbacks from 1987 through 2024 (54th percentile).

Scouting Report

Strengths

• Extremely aggressive and extraordinarily competitive. Brownlee lives to press and jam receivers at the line and throw them off their timing.
• While his Pro Day numbers were about average, Brownlee has better on-field lateral quickness and burst at the top of his drop than you would expect.
• As previously noted, his coverage skills - both in man and zone - took a large step forward during the 2023 season. Is best in press man coverage, but also does well in off-man
• His physicality bodes well in run support. He doesn't back down from blockers, and attacks the edges well.

Weaknesses

• Brownlee is a little bit undersized from what you would like out of an NFL cornerback. Especially on the boundary, where he played 87.2 percent of his career defensive snaps.
• His aggressive and sometimes over-zealous nature occasionally comes back to bite him. It can lead to boom-or-bust coverages (especially deep), and every once in a while will draw illegal contact or PI penalty flags.
• He's a little inconsistent when it comes to tracking the ball in the air, particularly in zone coverage. Anticipation and finishing skills could use some development.

NFL Comparison

• Mike Hilton (Ole Miss - 2012-15, Pittsburgh Steelers - 2016-20, Cincinnati Bengals - 2021 - Present)

Highlights: Here (YouTube)

(Photo of Jarvis Brownlee Jr.: Brett Davis - USA TODAY Sports)

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