Ronnie Brown (running back, born 2000)

Last updated

Ronnie Brown
Arizona Rattlers
Born: (2000-04-12) April 12, 2000 (age 24)
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Career information
CFL status American
Position(s) RB, KR, PR
Height5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight192 lb (87 kg)
College Shepherd (2019–2022)
High school Dundalk (Baltimore, Maryland)
Career history
As player
2023 Tampa Bay Buccaneers*
2024 Winnipeg Blue Bombers*
2024 Ottawa Redblacks*
2025–present Arizona Rattlers
*Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards

Ronnie Brown Jr. (born April 12, 2000) is an American professional football running back and return specialist for the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League (IFL). He played college football for the Shepherd Rams before signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 2023.

Contents

Early life

Brown grew up in Baltimore, Maryland and attended Dundalk High School. He would commit to play college football at Shepherd University. [1]

College career

2019 season

Brown joined the Shepherd Rams in 2019 and made his college football debut against Mercyhurst. During the game, Brown had three carries for 12 yards while returning two kicks for 44 yards. Against Lock Haven, Brown scored his first career rushing touchdown while also tallying a career-high 14 carries for 96 rushing yards. [2] A week later, Brown had six kick returns for a career-high 105 yards against Shippensburg. [3] In a blowout win against East Stroudsburg, Brown had his first multi-touchdown game, rushing for both on 12 carries for 80 yards. [4]

Shepherd ended the season with a 9–2 (6–1) record, finishing second in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East Division. They would advance to the 2019 NCAA Division II playoffs as the 5th seed in Super Region One. [5] During both of their playoff games, Brown had 100+ kick return yards but didn't record a single carry.

Brown finished the season with 41 carries for 209 yards and three touchdowns. He also had 28 kick returns for 668 yards.

2020 season

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the PSAC suspended the 2020 fall season and opted out of in-conference play during the 2021 spring season. [6] [7] On April 10, 2021, Shepherd played Mercyhurst for their only game of the season. [8] Brown had four carries for 13 yards and one reception for seven yards during the game.

2021 season

Brown started the 2021 season against Ohio Dominican, finishing with eight carries for 71 yards and a touchdown as well as four receptions for 59 yards. The next week against Gannon, he had five carries for 72 yards and a touchdown.

2022 season

Brown was promoted to being the starter before the 2022 season. In his first start against Southern Connecticut State, Brown had 10 carries for 113 yards and two touchdowns. Brown had a career performance the next week against Edinboro, rushing for 278 yards and three touchdowns. He earned his first career PSAC East Offensive Athlete of the Week award for his performance. Against Kutztown, Brown returned a kickoff for a 100-yard touchdown, breaking the school record for longest return in the process. He would then earn PSAC East Special Teams Player of the Week honors. Against Shippensburg, Brown had 196 all-purpose yards and two rushing touchdowns. He then earned his second PSAC East Offensive Athlete of the Week award.

After finishing the regular season with a perfect 10–0 (7–0) record, Shepherd would win its first-ever PSAC East title, advancing to the PSAC Championship Game against No. 19 IUP. During the game, Brown rushed for a touchdown, but they would fall 24–21. On November 16, Brown earned his second-straight All-PSAC First Team selection as a running back and return specialist.

Shepherd was then granted the No. 2 seed in Super Region One for the NCAA Division II playoffs. [9] In the First Round against New Haven, Brown had 21 carries for 228 yards and two touchdowns in the 16–13 win. [10] Brown proved even more effective in the Second Round matchup against No. 20 Slippery Rock, finishing with 23 touches for 270 all-purpose yards and two total touchdowns, helping Shepherd advance with a 37–27 win. [11] The Super Region One Championship would be a PSAC Championship rematch against No. 15 IUP. [12] Brown would get 29 touches in the game for 161 all-purpose yards and three total touchdowns. [13] Shepherd would capture their second straight Super Region One title with a 48–13 revenge victory. [14] During Regional play, Brown had 80 touches for 718 all-purpose yards and seven total touchdowns, earning him D2CCA All-Region First Team honors. [15] Shepherd was granted the No. 3 seed in the National Semifinals, matching up against No. 10 Colorado Mines. During the game, Brown had 17 carries for 173 yards and a touchdown but the Rams would be eliminated 44–13.

Brown finished the season ranking first in all-purpose yards (2,999) and yards per carry (8.47), second in rushing yards (1,864) and all-purpose yards per game (199.93), fourth in rushing attempts (220) and total touches (295), fifth in total touchdowns (25) and total points scored (150), sixth in rushing touchdowns (19), eighth in total points per game (10.0), and ninth in rushing yards per game (124.3). For this, Brown was awarded Division II All-American First Team honors by the Associated Press, [16] Second Team honors by the D2CCA, [17] and an honorable mention by the Don Hansen Football Committee. [18] He was also named to the D2Football.com Elite 100 Second Team. [19]

Brown was selected to be a part of the 2022 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl after the season. [20] He then declared for the 2023 NFL draft on December 17. [21]

College statistics

Shepherd Rams
SeasonGamesRushingReceivingKick returnsAll-purpose
GPGSAttYdsAvgTDRecYdsAvgTDRetYdsAvgTDYdsTD
2019 100412095.1311313.002866823.908903
2020–21104133.30177.00————200
2021 15151079629.082354923.961219015.801,69514
2022 15152201,8648.5195658910.551954628.712,99925
Career 41303723,0488.230811,15814.311591,40423.815,60442

Records

PSAC records

  • Highest average yards per carry in a career (min. 3,000 yards): 8.2 (2019–2022)
  • Highest average yards per carry in a single season (min. 1,400 yards): 8.5 – tied (2022)

Shepherd records

  • Highest average yards per carry in a career (min. 2 years and 100 carries): 8.19 (2019–2022)
  • Most all-purpose yards in a single season: 2,999 yards (2022)
  • Highest average yards per carry in a single season (min. 70 carries): 9.01 (2021)
  • Most kickoff return touchdowns in a single game: 1 – tied (September 24, 2022, vs. Kutztown)
  • Longest kickoff return touchdown: 100 yards (September 24, 2022, vs. Kutztown)

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeightArm lengthHand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
5 ft 10.7 in
(1.80 m)		192 lb
(87 kg)		30+3⁄8 in
(0.77 m)		8+1⁄2 in
(0.22 m)		4.46 s1.50 s2.53 s4.00 s6.89 s37 in
(0.94 m)		10 ft 3 in
(3.12 m)		15 reps
All values from Pro Day [22]

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

On May 12, 2023, Brown signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL) as an undrafted free agent. [23] Brown played all three preseason games, racking up 12 carries for 33 yards while also having three catches for 38 yards. [24] On August 28, Brown was waived. [25]

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

On January 5, 2024, Brown signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (CFL). [26] On May 15, Brown was released. [27]

Ottawa Redblacks

On May 16, 2024, Brown signed with the Ottawa Redblacks of the CFL. [28] On June 1, Brown was released. [29]

Arizona Rattlers

On November 17, 2024, Brown signed with the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League (IFL). [30]

Notes

  1. ↑ Selected as a running back and return specialist

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References

  1. ↑ "Ronnie Brown". Shepherd University Athletics. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  2. ↑ Kozlowski, Rick (October 4, 2019). "Shepherd routs Lock Haven with replacement quarterback". journal-news.net. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  3. ↑ "Shepherd Football Rallies Past Shippensburg". shepherdrams.com. September 14, 2019. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  4. ↑ "Records fly as Shepherd scores 76 points". shepherdstownchronicle.com. Staff. November 8, 2019. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  5. ↑ Burglund, Matthew (November 18, 2019). "IUP to face Shepherd at home in playoff opener". indianagazette.com. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  6. ↑ "PSAC Suspends NCAA Competition for Fall 2020". shepherdrams.com. July 15, 2020. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
  7. ↑ "PSAC Announces Changes to Championship Schedules in 2021". shepherdrams.com. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
  8. ↑ Madison, Bob (April 16, 2021). "No April fool . . . Shepherd defeats Mercyhurst in one-game football season". shepherdstownchronicle.com. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
  9. ↑ Cavadi, Wayne. "The 2022 DII football championship bracket previewed and predicted". ncaa.com. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  10. ↑ Kozlowski, Rick (November 20, 2022). "Rams edge New Haven in D2 playoffs". journal-news.net. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  11. ↑ Kozlowski, Rick (December 2022). "AOW: Brown runs past Slippery Rock". journal-news.net. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  12. ↑ "NCAA DII Super Region One Championship, IUP vs. Shepherd". iup.edu. IUP Athletics. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  13. ↑ Ricupero, Greg. "Rams get revenge, route Hawks in Super Region One Final!". pafootballnews.com. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  14. ↑ Santa, John (December 3, 2022). "Revenge factor? IUP knocked out of DII playoffs by Shepherd three weeks after beating the Rams in PSAC title game". unionprogress.com. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  15. ↑ "Five Rams Gain D2CCA All-Super Region One Accolades; Bagent Named Offensive Player of the Year". shepherdrams.com. December 1, 2022. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  16. ↑ Russo, Ralph D. (December 14, 2022). "Mines QB Matocha, Ferris DE Murphy lead D-II All-Americans". apnews.com. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  17. ↑ "Four Rams Named to D2CCA All-America Team". shepherdrams.com. December 15, 2022. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  18. ↑ "Twenty-Three SAC Football Players Named 2022 Don Hansen All-Americans". thesac.com. January 11, 2023. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  19. ↑ "2022 D2Football.com Elite 100". d2football.com. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  20. ↑ Kozlowski, Rick (January 27, 2023). "Brown has chance to impress in NFLPA Bowl". journal-news.net. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  21. ↑ Kozlowski, Rick (December 20, 2022). "Brown opts to leave Shepherd for NFL draft". journal-news.net. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  22. ↑ "2023 NFL Draft Scout Ronnie Brown College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  23. ↑ Smith, Scott. "Bucs Officially Announce 18 UDFA Signings". buccaneers.com. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  24. ↑ Kozlowski, Rick (January 13, 2024). "Ex-Ram catches on with Winnipeg of CFL". journal-news.net. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  25. ↑ "Ronnie Brown: Cut by Buccaneers". cbssports.com. RotoWire Staff. August 28, 2023. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  26. ↑ "Bombers sign three player, including RB Ronnie Brown". cfl.ca. January 12, 2024. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  27. ↑ "Blue Bombers Transactions – May 15". bluebombers.com. May 15, 2024. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  28. ↑ Heilman, Michael (May 16, 2024). "Ottawa Redblacks sign RB Ronnie Brown and DB Louis Lavaud". BGMSportsTrax. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  29. ↑ Brennan, Don (June 1, 2024). "Cut-down day: No big surprises as Redblacks chop 20, but tough decisions still ahead". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  30. ↑ "Rattlers Announce Three New Player Signings". Arizona Rattlers. November 17, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
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