49ers 2019 NFL Draft prospect profile: Wide receiver A.J. Brown

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AUBURN, AL – OCTOBER 07: A.J. Brown #1 of the Mississippi Rebels fails to pull in this reception against Tray Matthews #28 of the Auburn Tigers at Jordan Hare Stadium on October 7, 2017 in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

A.J. Brown’s Weaknesses

A.J. Brown’s physical strength is one of his best assets, but it can also work against him. Rather than using footwork to separate at the line of scrimmage, Brown can get caught trying to muscle through defenders in press coverage. That might work in the college ranks, but he won’t have quite as much luck at the pro level with that technique.

And while he’s certainly more physical, his relatively short stature compared to other wideouts in this year’s NFL Draft may limit him from being anything like a true red-zone threat in tight windows.

Perhaps the biggest knock on Brown, however, is a question about his straight-line speed. Like former 49ers wide receiver Anquan Boldin, Brown uses his strength and vision to get into spaces for catches. Just don’t expect him to do much more than that, however.

Wide receivers go through their NFL Scouting Combine drills on Saturday, March 2, so expect some close attention on Brown’s 40-yard dash times. If he winds up running between a 4.50 and 4.60 time, all is likely good.

Anything beyond that, though, and Brown’s stock could fall a bit.