NORMAN, Okla. (AP) Oklahoma receiver Marquise Brown will skip his senior season and declare himself eligible for the NFL draft.
Brown made the announcement Wednesday on social media .
Brown, whose cousin is Pittsburgh Steelers star Antonio Brown, is nicknamed ”Hollywood” for his flashy play and the name of his hometown, Hollywood, Florida. In two seasons, he caught 132 passes for 2,413 yards and 17 touchdowns. He leaves sixth in school history in career yards receiving. This season, he joined Ryan Broyles as the only Oklahoma receivers to gain more than 1,000 yards receiving in a season more than once.
He is listed at 5-foot-10 and 168 pounds, but after a breakout sophomore season, he got stronger in the offseason and improved his route running. This season, he caught 75 passes for 1,318 yards and 10 scores and was named a first-team Associated Press All-American. The yardage total was fourth in school history for a single season. He averaged 18.3 yards per catch in his career.
Brown credited former Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops for taking a chance on him after a year of junior college.
”Thank you for always believing in me & taking a chance on an undersized kid looking to play on the big stage,” Brown said in the social media post.
His speed is his greatest weapon. Former Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield said in 2017 that Brown was faster than 2016 Biletnikoff Award winner Dede Westbrook, who ran a 4.34 40-yard dash at his pro day and now plays for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Brown has the top two receiving yardage games in school history – a 265-yard effort against Oklahoma State in 2017 and a 243-yard performance in 2018 against West Virginia. He suffered a lower leg injury in the Big 12 title game against Texas this season and was hobbled during the College Football Playoff semifinal last weekend against Alabama.
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