Brown Signs with Rosenhaus

Antonio Brown hires agent, readies for NFL draft
By Daniel Monson || January 11, 2010
Tags: Antonio Brown, coaching search, Drew Rosenhaus, Football, gmac bowl, nfl draft

Antonio Brown did not waste any time celebrating his performance Wednesday in CMU’s 44-41 double-overtime win against Troy in the GMAC Bowl.

He has a dream to achieve.

The CMU junior wide receiver declared for the NFL draft Thursday night after catching 13 passes for 178 yards in Wednesday’s GMAC Bowl in Mobile, Ala. He totaled 403 all-purpose yards, including a 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

Brown said he has hired agent Drew Rosenhaus, a high-profile agent based in Brown’s hometown of Miami, and already has worked out each day since making the trip from Mobile after the bowl game.

“I just got a full-body breakdown so I’m working on my strength,” Brown said. “Talking with my agent; he’s doing really great work in getting my name out to teams and I’m just starting this process out.

“But my key thing right now is basically getting ready for the (NFL) combine, working hard physically and mentally and getting myself prepared to do Sunday battle — it’s my dream.”

Making the call

To make the decision, Brown said he consulted with former CMU head coach Butch Jones, now at the University of Cincinnati, and former wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni, now the receivers coach at the University of Florida.

“I talked to those guys and got a feel for what they were telling me, then I weighed my options and I went to my notebook and my pen and pad, and prayed about it,” Brown said. “Having a great game was just icing on the cake because I wanted to finish in that CMU uniform giving it all I had.”

Brown also said a key to his decision to leave was interim coach Steve Stripling, who recommended he enter the draft. Stripling was not offered the head-coaching job at CMU and was named associate head coach and defensive line coach at Cincinnati on Friday night.

“He said he wouldn’t be the head coach, so that played back there in my decision,” Brown said. “I really respected him as a coach and I really took guidance and evidence from him to see what he thought about my decision.”

NFL hopes

Brown said he tries not to pay attention to projections, but has heard he might be selected in the third round of the draft, which will be held April 22-24 in New York.

“I don’t really focus on the rounds because it might not end up that way,” he said. “I might go second or first.”

Brown, who, at 5-foot-10, 180 pounds and whose 305 career receptions in his three seasons ranks first all-time at CMU, likens his style of play to NFL players such as the Redskins’ Santana Moss, the Eagles’ DeSean Jackson and the Bills’ Roscoe Parrish — speedy, smaller, multi-faceted guys who can return kicks as well as play slot receiver.

One of the knocks on Brown throughout his career has been that he shies away from contact, but he said he does not see that as a problem.

“I don’t think I have any problems with going across the middle. I think, in the NFL, it’s more mental,” he said.

“I just need to be sharp on my mentality and outworking my opponents, coming in early and staying late, really being a student of the game, breaking down film. I think I got all the attributes as far as speed and athleticism.”

He said doing the little things, such as eating right, getting enough rest and working hard, will pay off and he has the mentors to make the transition to the next level.

Growing up in Miami, Brown is a big Dolphins fan. Miami’s Wildcat formation would suit Brown, who was a quarterback in high school. But he said it does not matter what organization takes him.

“I feel like I can play anywhere. I’m just excited to have this opportunity,” he said. “Whatever team gets me, they won’t be let down. In the

Wildcat, they can throw, they can bring me in motion and get the sweep, they could send me deep, they could count on me as a return man.”

“It don’t matter what system, I’m just open for the opportunity, just get settled in and do my best.”

On several NFL draft projection Web sites, Brown is ranked anywhere from the 12th-best wide receiver to the 16th, out of more than 350 prospects.

“Of course I’m a Dolphins fan; I love the Dolphins,” Brown said. “I think it would be pretty sweet to have me and Ted Ginn, but I don’t know.

“I also like Detroit; hopefully they can win some games and I’ve been in Michigan for awhile, so I tend to watch the Detroit Lions.”

CMU career

Brown, who attended North Carolina Tech for one season before walking on at CMU, said the small-town atmosphere of Mount Pleasant helped him focus.

“It really prepped me as a man; just staying grounded, and being respectful. A lot of people at CMU really helped me — they really care about me,” Brown said. “Coming from Miami, it was kind of hard for me to adapt to time management, so at CMU I really learned true time management there.

“How to live in a small area, not be on the big scene and the big crowd, how to just get away and stay focused on what I got to do.”

E-mail the author: Daniel Monson
This post was written by:
Daniel Monson - who has written 160 posts on Central Michigan Life.

Daniel is a senior reporter for Central Michigan Life.


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