Will Amon-Ra St. Brown live up to high expectations?

Being the son of Mr. Universe comes with big expectations, and those are not just physical ones. From birth, the former winner of the Mr. Universe competition in 1981 and 1982, John Brown, proclaims that he knew that his youngest son was destined to be something special. Considering how far he has come since then, including being drafted in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL draft by the Detroit Lions, Amon-Ra St. Brown has not failed to live up to the lofty expectations thus far.

With an older brother currently playing for the Green Bay Packers, and another one who was a college standout at Stanford, the youngest of the St. Brown brothers, Amon-Ra, blossomed in a household of naturally gifted athletes. NFL trainers that have worked with the likes of future Hall of Famers have labeled Amon-Ra’s athleticism as “NFL ready” and amassed comparisons to Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp.

Given the familiarity with regards to playing style and athletic tendencies, the addition of a Kupp-like talent to the Lions roster would provide incoming quarterback Jared Goff with a comfortable slot option that is tailored to his game approach.

Earning First-team All-Pac-12 honors in 2020, St. Brown had a stellar college career in his three seasons with the USC Trojans. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound wide receiver recently stated that he gathered the extra motivation to play with a chip on his shoulder in his upcoming debut NFL season by never forgetting the 15 receivers chosen before him in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Possibly the most enticing factor of St. Brown’s skillset that the majority of scouts and those in the Lions coaching circles have raved about is his versatility on the field. While his 40-yard dash numbers are not mind-boggling fast, he makes up for the lack of speed burst via his athleticism and ability to excel at both the inside and outside slot positions.

It seems like a match made in heaven to pair a talent such as St. Brown with the likes of new wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle El, who was a very versatile and skilled slot receiver in his playing days with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

In a recent radio interview, Lions head coach Dan Campbell expressed his excitement on the prospects of St. Brown declaring that the young wideout is a crafty and smart player that checks all the boxes and will compete immediately at the slot receiver role. With the Lions running thin at that specific position on their depth chart, a breakout player at the wide receiver position would provide an immediate boost to the locker room and be a much-welcomed addition on the field.

Overall, the wide receiver position for the Detroit Lions consists of an entirely revamped roster field compared to last season aside from second-year wideout Quintez Cephus. In terms of setting the stage as perfect as possible for a rookie wide receiver to flourish and make a name for themselves in their debut year, there’s no better audience to begin with than those sitting in the stands of the Motown City.