Dallas Cowboys: Three reasons WR Noah Brown makes the team

With so many new faces on the Dallas Cowboys receiving corps, it’s easy to overlook second-year pro, Noah Brown. Here’s three reasons why that would be a mistake.

The Dallas Cowboys are shuffling the deck on their receiving corps, so to speak. Dez Bryant and Ryan Switzer are now gone, and if it weren’t for the money needed to cut Terrance Williams, he’d probably be gone as well.

In the draft the Cowboys added Michael Gallup in the third, (a lock to make the team) and Cedrick Wilson in the sixth (no so much of a lock). Additionally, the Dallas Cowboys added Allen Hurns and Deonte Thompson in free agency.

All of this means Dallas has quite the stable of receivers devoid of an obvious pecking order. Here are three reasons not to sleep of former seventh round pick, Noah Brown:

Blocking Ability

Noah Brown surprised a lot of folks when he made the team last season. The seventh round pick out of Ohio State was supposed to be a “project” in the same vein as tight end, Rico Gathers. But for what he lacked in route-running and technique, he made up for in blocking ability and willingness to compete.

Noah Brown’s blocking ability made him an asset on the field rather than a liability, and he earned 159 snaps because of it. Rated by Pro Football Focus as the Cowboys’ best run-blocker, Brown was (and is) what this run-first offense needs in a receiver.

Athletic Ability

Noah Brown joined Ohio State as a four-star recruit. Injuries got in the way of his development and reduced Brown’s collegiate career to largely a one-game highlight reel. But what a highlight reel it was…

Noah Brown came to the Cowboys technically raw but overflowing with potential. The 6’2” 225lbs pass-catcher is big and plays with an edge. His athletic ability makes him a winner in most 50-50 situations and an obvious replacement to Dez on the goal line.

https://twitter.com/drobalwaysopen/status/979892194197819392

Noah Brown has natural hands and with more development on his routes should be a valuable weapon on all goal line and third down situations – regardless of the play call.

Pure Potential

Only 33 catches on 52 targets in college, it’s fair to say Noah Brown came to the Cowboys on pure potential. But after establishing himself as the best blocking receiver on the team, he made the final 53 on actualized ability.

Since he’s so good at run-blocking, the temptation to pigeonhole him as only a blocker will be prevalent and hard to overcome. But all of that pass-catching potential is still alive and well, and you can bet the Dallas Cowboys are finding a way to develop it.

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Noah Brown has X-receiver potential with Z and slot ability. While there are many qualities and traits that compare to Dez Bryant, comparing the two may do him a disservice. But what we can see is that he’s working on route-running like never before, and he has a skillset that’s sorely missing from this 2018 squad.

The better top-end comparison player Cowboys fans should compare him to would be Keyshawn Johnson. He’s a nasty possession receiver who loves to battle in the running and the passing game.

The blocking ability will get him on the field but the route-running will keep him on the field.

If he can prove them both in training camp, there’s no way he won’t make the team. It’s a numbers game and for Noah Brown to make the final 53-man roster someone with a bigger name is going to miss the cut.

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With both proven ability and potential on his side, Noah Brown should not be overlooked this preseason. He’s a versatile piece that can contribute while he continues to develop.