The Colts have reportedly hosted Louisville cornerback Jarvis Brownlee Jr. on an official pre-draft visit, according to Aaron Wilson.
Brownlee measures in at 5-10 and weighs 194 pounds. Admittedly, at least by Relative Athletic Score (RAS), Brownlee would be an out-of-character selection by GM Chris Ballard.
In the last two draft classes, only three players selected by Ballard have posted a RAS below 9.0, and the lowest was 8.48. Brownlee scored a 4.31 on that scale, including a 4.54-second 40-yard dash, and below average vertical and broad jumps.
Brownlee played 2,540 snaps over five seasons, the first three of which came at Florida State and the last two at Louisville, with the bulk of his playing time coming on the boundary.
For what it’s worth, Brownlee has consistently graded out very well in run defense by PFF. For his career in coverage, he allowed a completion rate of 52 percent at 15.6 yards per catch with six interceptions and 16 pass breakups.
For more on Brownlee’s game, here is what Lance Zierlein of NFL.com had to say in his pre-draft report:
“Aggressive press cornerback with average size but above-average competitive fire. Scouts say Brownlee made a point of working hard on his body and his approach to improve his chances on the next level, and he did just that. He’s extremely rugged and physical over the first 5 yards to disrupt route timing and can close the catch window if he’s in position. Brownlee is just average as the route expands in man and could be prone to penalties and allowing explosive plays down the field. There is no lack of toughness in his run support, and he’s an easy fit on special teams. Brownlee could have teams targeting him on Day 3 as a nickel defender with the potential to bump outside.”
As Zierlein mentions, Brownlee will be a nickel defender in the NFL. The Colts, of course, just re-signed Kenny Moore to a three-year deal, but perhaps view Brownlee as a backup candidate who can help on special teams, having played 480 career snaps across five different phases.
In what is viewed as a deep cornerback class, Brownlee is PFF’s 17th-ranked cornerback and the 134th-ranked prospect overall.
