IOWA CITY, Iowa-- Tyler Brown was a coveted add to the Hawkeye squad via the transfer portal this offseason. Iowa needed to replace Xavier Nwankpa (NFL) and Koen Entringer (transfer to Louisville) after they each departed from the program. Fortunately for Kirk Ferentz's squad-- they have Phil Parker, who is one of the most respected coordinators in college football.
Our countdown of indispensable players continues with No. 20.
Scouting Report:
Brown has played on a College Football Playoff team and that carries weight. He understands the size, speed and athleticism of what it takes to be a high-achieving player on a power conference team. The former James Madison safety was great for them last season. He finished with 80 tackles, five tackles for a loss, one sack, one interception, and six pass deflections. Brown chose Iowa over multiple power-four offers.
Brown had a very good year for the Dukes in coverage as he posted a PFF grade of 80.1 and was elite tackling at 86.6. He also played well against the run. The Maryland native is comfortable getting in the tackling lanes and blitzing when called upon. He reads angles well and isn't afraid to lay an extra layer of physicality with his hits.
Parker will be allowed to get creative with Brown in the box or have him on the back-end in coverage. He has the football acumen to take open angles on his blitzes and take on a running back in the box. Good pad level along with reliable fundamentals when tackling in the open-field.
"They're coming from a different system, different coaching, different responsibilities," Parker said of his safeties this spring. "It's like a different language to them. I think that Tyler Brown has done a really good job adapting to what's going on."
Why He's Indispensable:
The Hawkeyes have to replace both starting safeties from last season and Brown is expected to be an impact player. Iowa's standard of play doesn't drop regardless of the personnel. Brown was reportedly doing really well throughout spring practice when he was on the field. Parker is also a guy that likes to bring his safeties along and not force too much action on them.
It's all about understanding the basics of Iowa's defensive scheme. Positioning, the language they use and understanding when it's appropriate to take a risk for a big play or not. Once the defensive backs understand that-- everything else comes following that.
Brown is going to be one of the most experienced safeties on Iowa's roster. There's still an open competition and the possibility that Zach Lutmer goes to the back-end if he needs to.
Expectations:
Brown has one of the highest immediate ceilings of the new transfers to Iowa. He has played in a lot of big games at the college level and has been a difference maker. Safety has long been a stable force for the Hawkeyes throughout the years of dominant defense. Brown has a chance to continue to add to that sort of legacy.
It's not unrealistic to believe that Brown could emerge as one of Iowa's better defenders by the end of the year. His style of physicality combined with his athleticism and football IQ does give him a chance to shine within Parker's system. It will be a big step up against Big Ten foes on a weekly basis. Brown will have to be careful when he has to read double-moves against Jeremiah Smith or some of the other elite talent in the conference.
Looking at past Iowa safeties-- it's easy to see why Parker pursued a guy like Brown to take the reins. It's still an 'open competition' at this point but Brown is the favorite of the safety group to lock in his role fairly quickly.
How HawkeyeInsider Voted:
David: No. 20
Sean: No. 21
Eliot: No. 21
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