The Cincinnati Bengals might have a sleeper hit on their hands with fifth-round pick Chase Brown.
The running back out of Illinois, with 1,643 yards and 10 touchdowns on a 5.0 average to his name last season, has a shot at the role left vacant by Samaje Perine, if not an opportunity for more.
And The Athletic’s Dane Brugler is one expert thinking Brown could do big things quicker than expected:
One of the best value fits of the entire draft, Brown is an explosive one-cut runner with the vision and determination to get on the field quickly. His ability in the passing game will help fill the void left by Samaje Perine. We thought the Bengals might go running back earlier than this, but it’s hard to argue with the value here.
It’s hard to argue — one of the strengths of Brown noted by Bengals coaches is that he should be a reliable receiver and pass blocker. He’s got some between-the-tackles ability too, which seems to be where the run game continues to head.
Let’s not forget this awesome stat from PFF:
Cincinnati selects Illinois RB Chase Brown 163rd overall
🟠 83 missed tackles forced last season (only Bijan Robinson had more) pic.twitter.com/LL0qm0NMmV
— PFF College (@PFF_College) April 29, 2023
The shelf life for Brown could be a problem given he had 600-plus carries in college. But the immediate impact he could provide would be rare for a Day 3 pick — and exactly what the team needs.
Zac Taylor has already reaffirmed the status of Joe Mixon as the starter, but one look at the breakdown of Brown and his wild highlight reel suggests he could shoulder his way into notable work starting in Week 1.
