Could Troy Brown Be Giants' Next UDFA Find?

The former Ole Miss Rebel had success in college as a run-stopper, but he still has quite a few hurdles to overcome if he aspires to take his game to the NFL level.

Troy Brown, Linebacker

Height: 6-foot-1 | Weight: 220 pounds

2022 Stats*: GP 13/ GS 12. 93 total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, 5 passes defended, 1 forced fumble.

*College stats at Mississippi (Ole Miss)

After a four-year career at Central Michigan (2018 to 2021), linebacker Troy Brown arrived at the University of Mississippi (aka "Ole Miss") via the transfer portal for his senior season. 

The jump from the Mid-American Conference (MAC) to the powerhouse Southeastern Conference (SEC) meant that Brown would have to elevate his own play, and that’s precisely what he did.

Brown enjoyed his best collegiate season with Ole Miss, developing into a tackling machine at linebacker. He racked up an impressive 93 tackles (44 solo, 49 assists) despite being undersized for a player of his position. He also helped the Rebels go 8-5 with a Texas Bowl berth.

That all said, Brown, after declaring for the draft, was projected to be a seventh-round or undrafted free agent. The New York Giants signed him, and he will throw his hat into the ring at linebacker, a position where the depth could still use some additional reinforcement.

Best Case Scenario

The Giants are looking to improve their linebacker corps for the 2023 season. Signing Bobby Okereke in free agency was a big step in the right direction, but the rest of the team’s linebackers are largely unproven. Brown will compete with Darrian Beavers, Micah McFadden, Jarrad Davis, Carter Coughlin, Cam Brown, and Dyontae Johnson for a spot on the depth chart.

For that to happen, Brown would need to replicate and/or top the level of production he had at Ole Miss. New York’s linebacking core struggled so much with tackling that defensive back Julian Love, now with Seattle, finished as the team's runaway leader in tackles with 116, the next closest Giants defender being linebacker Jaylon Smith with 86 tackles.

Brown, who posted a career-low seven missed tackles for the REbels last year, finished with a 12.1 percent missed tackle rate to go along with a whopping 166 stops. Also, according to Pro Football Focus, Brown posted a run defense grade of 77 or better in each of his last three seasons, lending hope that he might, if given a role, be able to help the Giants' run defense.

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Worst Case Scenario

Brown, 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds, is undersized compared to the average NFL linebacker. Additionally, he lacks the upper body strength to break through opposing offensive linemen, and he posted a 4.74 40-time at his pro day--all signs that he's probably a developmental project at this stage.

The Giants are loaded at linebacker, where the competition is expected to be intense. This isn't to say Brown can't win what is projected to be the final spot behind Bobby Okereke, Jarrad Davis, and Darrian Beavers, but it is fair to say that Brown has an uphill battle and a lot of rough areas that still need to be refined.

What To Expect in 2023

Brown is one of many candidates for a spot on the linebacker depth chart, his skillset potentially giving the Giants exactly what they need. However, he’s just as unproven as the other candidates (due to his status as a rookie UDFA) and still needs work in other areas of his game.

With a solid summer camp and preseason, there's no reason to think he can't earn a spot on the practice squad, where he can continue his development as a two-down, off-ball run defender and against the run.

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