Sammy Brown LB Clemson |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #47 PLAY STYLE: BOX LB | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 11/03/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2027 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.45 seconds (97%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #47 | |
| PLAY STYLE: BOX LB | |
| Last Updated: 11/03/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2027 | |
| Forty time: 4.45 seconds (97%*) | |
| Overall Rating: |
85.1 / 100
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| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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73% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Tackling: |
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47% |
| Pass Rush: |
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65% |
| Run Defense: |
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79% |
| Coverage: |
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60% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
2nd - Late
Overall Rank:
#54
Position rank:
#9 (LB)
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| College Games: 34 College Snaps: 1625 | ||
ESPN RATING: 90/100
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247 RATING: 98/100
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RIVALS RATING: 6.0 (98%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ty'Ron Hopper - Missouri |
|
73% |
| Harold Perkins Jr. - LSU |
|
73% |
| Anthony Hill Jr. - Texas |
|
73% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Sammy Brown was one of the most decorated high school players in the country at Jefferson High School in Commerce, Georgia. As a senior he ran for 2,289 yards and 36 touchdowns and made 153 tackles, winning Georgia Mr. Football, the high school Butkus Award and the USA Today national defensive player of the year award, and he went 88-5 as a wrestler with two state titles. A consensus five-star recruit, he was ESPN's No. 1 linebacker in the 2024 class.Brown played in 14 games with six starts as a true freshman, making 11.5 tackles for loss along with five sacks to earn ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year. He started all 13 games in 2025, making 13.5 tackles for loss and five sacks with an interception, and he was a first-team All-ACC pick and a third-team All-American by Phil Steele. He had 11 tackles and a late sack in the win at Louisville and 15 tackles in the Pinstripe Bowl loss to Penn State.
Brown is a Butkus Award semifinalist in 2026. He made 10 tackles in the opener at LSU and had a sack and five pressures in the win at Florida State on 31 October, and he has more than 40 tackles in eight games for a 5-3 team. He has said the culture at Clemson was one of the biggest reasons he chose the school, and linebackers coach Ben Boulware has said the linebackers have to run the defense.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Rare speed for a linebacker, with one of the best forty times in the class
- Downhill trigger that beats blockers to the gap against the run
- First-team All-ACC in 2025 after being named ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2024
- Productive blitzer, with five sacks in each of his first two seasons
- Made 15 tackles in the Pinstripe Bowl and 10 in the 2026 opener at LSU
- Butkus Award semifinalist with three seasons of ACC experience
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Missed 16 tackles in eight games this season, a sharp drop from 2025
- Coverage is a weakness, with 12 catches allowed on 14 targets this fall
- Struggled against Miami, missing four tackles in the loss
- Run stops have dipped, with 17 in eight games after 41 in 2025
Scouting Report: Summary
Brown is a rare athlete at linebacker, a former Georgia Mr. Football and state champion wrestler with sprinter's speed who triggers downhill and arrives with force. He was the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2024 and a first-team All-ACC pick in 2025, with five sacks in each season, and his range lets him make plays sideline to sideline that most linebackers cannot reach. He has also been a constant on the field, starting all 13 games in 2025 and playing more than 430 snaps this fall.However, his 2026 tape has not matched that standard. He has missed 16 tackles in eight games, including four each against North Carolina and Miami, after missing six in all of 2025, and his run stops have dropped to 17 after 41 last season. He has been beaten in coverage too, allowing 12 catches on 14 targets, and his eyes can get caught in the backfield against play-action, pulling him out of position. Virginia Tech completed all five passes thrown his way in the 20-16 loss.
There have been bright spots. He made 10 tackles in the opener at LSU, had a sack and five pressures at Florida State on 31 October, and he remains a Butkus Award semifinalist for a 5-3 Clemson team. His 15-tackle Pinstripe Bowl and his 2025 season show what he looks like when the tackling is clean, and as a junior he still has eligibility remaining. He has added 13 pressures as a blitzer this season.
Overall, Brown has first-round speed and a strong two-year resume, but the finishing and coverage problems this fall have to be fixed before the draft. He projects as a second-round linebacker whose ceiling is a three-down starter if his 2025 tackling returns. His speed and blitz production give him a role on passing downs right away, even before the tackling is fixed.
How other scouting services rate Sammy Brown (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
45.1
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
6.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.