What could’ve been.
ESPN’s Rich Cimini reports the New York Jets “looked into” trading for Tennessee Titans wide receiver A.J. Brown before selecting Ohio State’s Garrett Wilson with the No. 10 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
That news comes as no surprise, as the Jets previously were linked to Tyreek Hill before the Kansas City Chiefs traded him to the Miami Dolphins. Cimini also reports the Jets “made an offer” for San Francisco 49ers’ Deebo Samuel.
But in the end, Brown, a Pro Bowl selection in 2020, went to the Philadelphia Eagles. Here are the details of the trade, per Eagles PR:
The Eagles made a huge splash with their second selection in the 2022 NFL Draft, trading the No. 18 overall pick along with the No. 101 overall pick to the Tennessee Titans for Pro Bowl wide receiver A.J. Brown.
Jalen Hurts has a dynamic new weapon, and the Eagles land a big-name, experienced wide receiver. Here’s what you need to know about Brown:
• A 6-foot-1, 225-pound wide receiver, the 24-year-old Brown was drafted by Tennessee out of Ole Miss 51st overall in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft. In 43 career games, he’s totaled 185 receptions for 2,995 yards and 24 touchdowns.
• Alongside Julio Jones, Brown was still targeted 105 times in 13 games last season and racked up 869 receiving yards. He suffered a chest injury in Week 11 and was placed on Injured Reserve. In his first game back, a Week 16 win at the 49ers, Brown recorded 11 receptions for 145 yards and a touchdown. He played in the Titans’ Divisional Playoff Round game against the eventual AFC Champion Bengals, totaling 142 yards and a touchdown on five receptions.
• Brown’s 24 touchdowns are the second-most from the 2019 draft class. His 16.19 yards per catch rank second behind Mike Williams of the Los Angeles Chargers for the most in the NFL (minimum 150 receptions).
• Brown and Hurts became friends when Alabama tried to recruit Brown out of high school. Brown chose Ole Miss, but the two stayed in touch. Hurts was in attendance for Brown’s Draft Party in 2019 and Brown was seen on Hurts’ Instagram story last weekend working out with the Eagles’ quarterback ahead of the Draft. The QB-WR connection is already strong.
• In three seasons at Ole Miss, Brown set the program record for career receiving yards (2,984) and 100-yard receiving games (12). As a sophomore, he matched the Ole Miss single-season record with 11 receiving touchdowns. He earned First-Team All-SEC honors as a sophomore and junior and was awarded the 2017 Conerly Trophy, given to the best college football player in the state of Mississippi.
• As the No. 5 receiver in the country in 2016 according to 247Sports, Brown originally committed to play both college baseball and football at Ole Miss. He was drafted as an outfielder by the San Diego Padres in the 19th round of the 2016 Major League Baseball Draft. He signed with the Padres, preventing him from playing college baseball while still being eligible for football.
Mike Rosenstein may be reached at mrosenstein@njadvancemedia.com.
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