Cotton Bowl: 5 2020 NFL Draft Prospects to watch in Penn St. vs. Memphis

Cameron Brown is a very good linebacker for Penn State who often gets overshadowed by star underclassman Micah Parsons. Brown finished the regular season as the third-leading tackler for Penn State with 69 total tackles. He also contributed 5.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, three pass breakups, and two fumble recoveries on the season.

Brown is a lean linebacker at 6-foot-5 and 233 pounds. He is perfectly suited for today’s pass-happy NFL with good athleticism and range to make plays all over the field. He also excels in coverage including the ability to even line up in man coverage versus wide receivers and tight ends in the slot. He also displays solid awareness and play-making ability in zone coverage. The big thing holding Brown back from being a top linebacker in the 2020 draft class is his lack of play strength. While his lean frame is what allows him to be an asset in coverage, it also makes it hard for him to consistently get off blocks in the run game and will cause him to fall off some tackles.

Brown will be playing his last game for the Nittany Lions after experiencing a ton of team success throughout his career. His ability in coverage will absolutely be key to Penn State being able to slow down Memphis’ quick-pass spread offensive attack. Brown’s ability to match up versus receivers Tigers’ receivers in the slot will likely be a big tell to which team will come out on top in this game.