Detroit Lions Depth Chart: DE Everette Brown

The Depth Chart series on Side Lion Report takes a closer look at some of the football players who may go unnoticed on the Detroit Lions depth chart. Be sure to follow this series if you are interested in learning about some of the lesser known players that the Lions are bringing to training camp on July 23.

Everette Brown

Height: 6-1

Weight: 256

Age: 24

Born: August 7, 1987

College: Florida State

Position: DE

Jersey #: 95

SLR Says:

It is clearly a numbers game with Everette Brown—as in statistics AND roster spots.

He has bounced around the league because he has been unable to perform on the field the way an early second round draft pick in the 2009 NFL Draft should. He has a lot of upside, and working under Cliff Avril and Kyle Vanden Bosch could prove to be beneficial for him.

However, there are too few roster spots for the Lions to carry more than four defensive ends with a project player like Brown. Willie Young and Lawrence Jackson are expected to win the backup roles at the defensive end position. According to the front office brass, Young has been performing really well in minicamps this offseason and is expected to take on a bigger role during the 2012 season.

Everette Brown has a very good shot at making the team, but the Lions will have to cut depth at a different position to make room for him. The talent is there, but will the roster space be there for him?

What the experts have to say:

NFLDraftScout.com:

"Draft Scout Snapshot: DS Rating on 1/07/09: #1 Junior DE, #9/750 Overall, Projected Rnd: 1 in 20102008: All-American second-team selection by The NFL Draft Report, Rivals.com, Associated Press and the Walter Camp Foundation…Unanimous All-Atlantic Coast Conference first-team choice and was a runner-up for both the ACC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year awards…Finalist for the Ted Hendricks Award, given to the nation’s premier defensive end…Named Walter Camp National Player of the Week vs. Maryland and ACC Defensive Player of the Week vs. Virginia Tech…Started all thirteen games at right defensive end, where he gave up considerable bulk to some of the best left offensive tackles in the collegiate ranks, but still had great success in disrupting the opposition’s offensive game plan…Recorded 36 tackles (career-high 30 solos), as he caused a team-high four fumbles and recovered another that he advanced 5 yards…Also deflected two passes and was credited with three quarterback pressures…Had four games where he recorded multiple sacks and posted at least one tackle behind the line of scrimmage in eleven contests (including six multiple-stop performances)…2007: 13 GP; 9 GS; 25 Sol-36 TT, 11.5 TFL, 6.5 SK, 3 PBU, 1 FF; Florida State’s starter at the left defensive end position where he earned a career-high eight starting assignments for the season…has played in 26 consecutive games in his first two seasons…2006: 13 GP; 3 GS; 16 Sol-27 TT, 13.5 TFL, 3 SK, 3 QBH, 1 BLK; Freshman All-America and All-ACC Freshman team honoree by The Sporting News…played in all 13 games while starting three games (Rice, NC State, Duke) when Darrell Burston was moved to the left end…2005: A redshirt season. Post-Draft Outlook: BEST PICK: Although the Panthers gave up a first-round pick in 2010 to get him, going up to get defensive end Everette Brown was good move. Not only did it fill a need, there’s no way he should have slipped all the way to No. 43 in the opinion of the Panthers’ brass, which had a first-round grade on him. A closer look at the Panthers’ picks: Round 2/43 — Everette Brown, DE, 6-2, 256, Florida State…The Panthers wanted him so badly they traded next year’s first-round pick to San Francisco in order to get him at No. 43. (The Panthers also picked up a fourth-round pick this year). He provides a long-term replacement for Julius Peppers, who has said he wants out of Carolina but is the team’s franchise player. The Panthers believe Brown will pep up their pass rush. – by The Sports Xchange"

BleacherReport.com:

"Everette Brown – DE/LB, 6’2″, 256lbs, 4.73 40-yd dashWell, we know Everette Brown thinks big. When asked who his NFL idol was and who he would most want to pattern his game after, Brown said, “I would say Lawrence Taylor. His style and the tenacity he played with. How reckless and dominant he was.” Ummm, better get to work, Everette…Everette Brown was born Aug. 7, 1987, in Stantonsburg, NC. A self-proclaimed small-town guy, he grew up as a part of a tight-knit family that he credits with always steering him in the right direction.His parents stressed academics and hard work and Brown does well in both areas.Brown played High School football for Beddingfield HS, in Wilson NC. He was a two-way starter, playing tight end and defensive end. His senior year in high school, he caught 40 passes for 770 yards and 10 touchdowns as a tight end.As a defensive end, he recorded 120 tackles and 16 sacks. Rivals.com listed him as the No. 3 DE prospect in the nation.The college coaches came calling and he received scholarship offers from Georgia, Penn State, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, UNC, NC State, and Florida State.Brown had always been a fan of Florida State football teams, and after visiting FSU, he really liked the college-town feel at Tallahassee, so it was an easy choice for him.He was red-shirted his first year there, as the Florida coaches wanted him to bulk up to play defensive end. In 2006, as a red-shirt freshman, he was an instant contributor. He saw action in all 13 games and even started three.He finished second on the team in tackles for minus yardage with 13.5 and tied for third on the team with three quarterback sacks.His second year at FSU, he started eight games at left defensive end and one at right. He played in all 13 games, recording 37 tackles, six-and-a-half quarterback sacks and 11.5 tackles for minus yardage.In Brown’s third season, he doubled his high-impact plays, finishing the year with 21.5 tackles for loss and a career-high 13.5 quarterback sacks. He was named All-ACC first team and third-team All-American. He was the runner-up for ACC defensive player of the year and was named the FSU Defensive MVP by his coaches.After the season, he sat down with Coach Bobby Bowden and NFL advisors and discussed his future. Projected as a sure first-rounder and a potential top 15 selection, he had every reason to enter the draft.Add to that the fact that he had already received his degree and graduated in December, and it became an easy decision. According to Brown, Coach Bowden and his parents support his decision 100 percent.Not one to sit around, Everette immediately did what comes natural to him; he went to work. After playing at just 225 lbs, in the Seminoles’ Champs Sports Bowl rout of Wisconsin, Brown knew he had to hit the gym and the dinner table.By the time the NFL combine came around, he had bulked up to 256 lbs. However, he barely registered 6’2″ in height, which is certainly much shorter than NFL scouts would like.He performed very well at the combine, running the fourth-fastest 40 among defensive linemen and out performing most of his competition, with the possible exception of Brian Orakpo (before Orakpo went out with a pulled hamstring).At every level, Brown has been a sack-producing machine. His first step is fantastic and he already has some well-established rush moves.Says Brown, “When it comes down to it, I’m a football player. I can bring the whole package as far as a guy who can get up the field quickly and will also study the playbook every day and work hard.”Out of all the so-called DE/LB “tweeners” (Maybin, Orakpo, etc) Brown is probably the most suited for conversion to outside rushing LB in a 3-4 defense. He is arguably the most explosive pure pass rusher in this year’s draft. He is superb coming off the edge and getting to the quarterback.He can get after running backs from behind and has excellent lateral movement and change of direction. Because of his lack of size and strength, he sometimes has problems with taking on the bigger run blockers or double-teams at the point of attack.Because of his size and speed—his 40 time (4.73) was 10th fastest at the combine among both defensive linemen and linebackers—many teams project Brown to become a hybrid outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme.He sounds perfect for the Green Bay Packers, who are moving to a 3-4 and are desperately looking to upgrade their pass rush."

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