The second installment of a three-part series going over who could be the next Ohio State quarterback is here. Yesterday, it was Kyle McCord and his qualities that were broken down, today it is Devin Brown.
Each of the quarterbacks brings a different skill set, but both of them have the ability to lead head coach Ryan Day and newly elevated offensive coordinator Brian Hartline’s offense at a high level.
The anticipation of a highly contested quarterback battle is the most likely scenario and it should go deep into fall practice before a starter is named. Let’s take a look at what Brown brings to the table, breaking down his high school career along with what he showed last spring and this past season.
High school
Devin Brown pic.twitter.com/GnAKyKmprd
— Kris Drew (@KristopherDrew_) November 29, 2022
The running skills stand out as Brown is able to scramble out of the pocket, either running for yardage or giving time to his receivers to get open down the field. Having a runner like him could pay dividends, especially in the red zone where having a mobile quarterback is a big advantage for an offense. Brown did seem a bit late on his throws, but his arm strength bailed him out which might not be the case at this level. He also wasn’t the most consistent with his throwing motion, but that might not be as big of a deal as it once was.
Spring 2022
Devin Brown says there’s been a “big learning curve,” but that he “expected worse” in his transition from high school to Ohio State. pic.twitter.com/TytHYN9E0U
— Griffin Strom (@GriffinStrom3) April 6, 2022
This was our first real idea of what Brown brings to the table and he showed us a lot. When he took the proper drop, planted his feet, and threw the ball, he looked very much like a seasoned vet. When Brown didn’t, the accuracy and timeliness suffered. Although the quarterbacks in the spring game wear no-contact jerseys, it was clear that he is the best runner of the group.
His arm strength has improved since his high school days. Brown threw a fantastic touchdown pass in the game also. He was a bit late on some reads, which I look at as he isn’t processing the defenses as fast as he should. Remember, Brown was just a freshman during the last spring game.
2022 season
While McCord got almost all of the second-team reps, Brown did make one appearance against Toledo — playing two series when the game was already out of hand. He almost exclusively handed off the ball to TC Caffey but Brown did have one run of his own for a yard. It was extremely difficult to determine what kind of quarterback Brown really was in a live setting, so more to come.
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