NFL Draft 2019 scouting report: Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown won’t miss any time after Lisfranc surgery

Entering the 2019 offseason with a desperate need at wide receiver, the Raiders sent a third and fifth round pick to the Steelers for Antonio Brown. But might the Silver & Black consider drafting his younger cousin Marquise “Hollywood” Brown as well?

The Biletnikoff Award Semifinalist from Oklahoma is one of the most dangerous receivers in the 2019 NFL Draft and would immediately upgrade Jon Gruden’s offense giving him yet another toy to play with.

Once considered a top-20 talent, Brown’s stock took a hit after he underwent Lisfranc surgery in February. However, recent reports say he is not expected to miss any of the offseason practices or training camp which could allow his draft stock to recover and makes him an intriguing option for the Raiders with one of their top four picks.

Marquise Brown, WR, Oklahoma

Measurables

5’9”, 166 lbs

Stats

2018: 75 Receptions, 1,318 Yards (17.6 Yards per Reception), 10 Touchdowns

2017: 57 Receptions, 1,095 Yards (19.2 Yards per Reception), 7 Touchdowns

Awards

2018 Second-Team All-American

2018 First-Team All-Big 12

2018 Biletnikoff Award Semifinalist

2017 All-Big 12 Honorable Mention

Strengths

Marquise Brown is from Hollywood... Florida. He earned his nickname “Hollywood” due to his home-run ability and knack for highlight plays. In his two seasons as a starter at Oklahoma, Brown played at a different speed than his peers and he uses that speed and quickness to stretch opposing defenses. He is extremely quick in and out of his breaks which helps him to create separation from defensive backs. Among all FBS receivers, Brown ranked fourth in yards per route run and was fifth in deep passing yards according to Pro Football Focus. His impact in Oklahoma’s offense was similar to the one that Tyreek Hill has on the Chiefs.

Weaknesses

At just 5’9” and 166 lbs, “Hollywood” has a small frame that could lead to durability issues in the NFL. Due to his size, he had trouble winning 50/50 balls and also struggled to make contested catches. Brown suffered a Lisfranc injury in February which could cause an otherwise first round talent to fall out of the first round.

Verdict

Because of his size, NFL teams may be hesitant to view Brown as a number one receiver, but that would be a mistake as Tyreek Hill, DeSean Jackson, and Santonio Holmes are all players in a similar mold that excelled because of their speed and explosiveness. Brown will never fit the mold of a strong receiver that will win contested catches, but he doesn’t have to because of the separation he creates. His quickness and route running savvy often leave him so open, that his size becomes a non-issue. As his name suggests, “Hollywood” is a big time threat to score every play and is arguably the best wide receiver in the 2019 NFL Draft.

Pro Comparison

Tyreek Hill

Fit with Raiders

With Antonio Brown and Tyrell Williams projected to lineup on the outside, Marquise Brown would work out of the slot where he would add a different dimension to the Raiders offense. He would give the Silver & Black one of the best receiving trios in the NFL, and defenses would be forced to pick their poison between three extremely explosive receivers. While Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden could focus on improving the defense in the first round, it would be awfully tempting to draft get this kind of wide receiver talent at the top of the second round when the Raiders select at 35 overall.