NFL analyst: Cardinals’ Brown among top-10 rookies who will exceed expectations in 2014
Aug 10, 2014, 8:31 PM | Updated: 8:32 pm
NFL media analyst Dan Jeremiah is not a soothsayer.
No, his job is to evaluate the league’s top young prospects. As it turns out, though, with his latest rankings, he might be on to something when it comes to predictions.
This week, Jeremiah came out with his list of the top-10 rookies who will exceed expectations in 2014.
Cracking the list was none other than Arizona Cardinals wideout John Brown, the team’s No. 91 overall pick from this year’s draft.
Brown might lack ideal size (5-10) and a big-college pedigree (Pittsburg State), but he has rare explosiveness and top speed (see for yourself). He’s received rave reviews during training camp, and he should provide a big-play element to the Cardinals’ passing game.
True to Jeremiah’s evaluation, Brown did just that in his first preseason game Saturday night. In Arizona’s 32-0 victory over the Houston Texans, the native of Homestead, Fla. caught five passes for a game-high 87 yards.
The performance left starting quarterback Carson Palmer singing his praises.
“It amazes me that he came from Division II football,” Palmer said of Brown. “All of a sudden it’s a little bit faster and it’s a little more complicated and there’s pressure and all those sorts of things, but just to see the way he reacted is very encouraging. You’ll know Monday night [against the San Diego Chargers] that he’s not going to change.
“He doesn’t go up and down. There’s no ebb and flow with him. He’s very consistent, very calm.”
