The Nebraska Cornhuskers are sending another player from defensive coordinator Tony White’s defense to the 2024 NFL Draft in Omar Brown. Brown and fellow defensive back Quinton Newsome have both made announcements that they will be entering the draft following one of the best defensive seasons Nebraska has seen since the Bo Pelini era. Both Husker defensive backs were Honorable-Mention All-Big Ten team members, and exhausted their eligibility in the 2023 season.
LLMario ☝🏽 pic.twitter.com/iZQMDRj5Qg
— Omar “Meezy” Brown (@Omeezyy12) December 8, 2023
Brown started his collegiate career with the Northern Iowa Panthers in 2019. In his freshman year, Brown was named to the First-Team FCS All-American team. In that year, he was fourth in the FCS in interceptions. Brown’s production was not able to keep pace during his sophomore year due to the fact that he suffered a season-ending injury.
Formerly the top cornerback recruit in Minnesota, Brown joined the Huskers squad in the 2022 season. In the midst of a coaching change, Brown’s statistical production was limited. In his 2023 season, Brown had the second-highest number of tackles on the team with 51. Brown excelled at playing up near the line of scrimmage from the secondary as a part of Tony White’s exotic 3-3-5 defense.
Omar Brown Helped Tony White and Company Produce the Best Defense the Nebraska Cornhuskers have Seen in the Big Ten
In head coach Matt Rhule and defensive coordinator Tony White’s first year in Lincoln, the Cornhuskers posted their best defensive numbers since joining the Big Ten. Brown was a large part of the Huskers only allowing 92.9 rushing yards per game, 303.5 yards per game and 18.3 points per game. All categories in which the Blackshirt defense ranked top 20 nationally as well as being the best marks in those categories since joining the Big Ten in 2011.
Brown was a crucial cog in the 2023 defense. In a 3-3-5 defense it is imperative that there are playmakers on the back end. Without guys that can tackle in the open field and close in on the ball quickly, the exotic defense falls apart. In a preseason article from HuskerExtra, White details this axiom of truth.
“It’s a deal that we’re going to have to account for,” White said. “Really, our personnel comes into play. I gotta be able to put our guys in the best position to make plays.
“There’s a lot of pieces that go into that but when they take the field, you’re going to know that they’re playing for Nebraska — they’re part of a tradition that really unlike any other in the country that I gotta make sure I do right,” White said. “You don’t have to look up at the score (because) when that defense runs out there you’re going to sit up in your seat, you’re going to grab your popcorn, you’re going to pay attention because those boys are going to play. Period.”
Omar Brown and the Nebraska Cornhuskers’ Defense Held Their Own Despite an Offense that Turned the Ball Over More than Anyone in the Country
The fact that the Nebraska Cornhuskers were 13th in total defense, and ninth in opposing touchdowns allowed with 24 is significantly more impressive when their turnover-prone offense is taken into account. Nebraska had 31 turnovers in the 2023 season, which was good enough for dead last in the FBS. The Cornhuskers were ranked 116th in the nation in total offense meaning the defense never had a lot of time to rest.
Brown and company also did not get any help from their special teams. Nebraska is 90th in net punting yards, which resulted in the Cornhuskers defense often trotting out with their back against the wall.
Brown and the defense held true despite the tough positions in which they were put all year. Although Brown is projected to be an undrafted free agent, this type of resilience is something that can boost his stock as an NFL prospect.
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