Player News - Brown among NFL Draft Prospects

Rising senior tight end Tim Brown is among NFL Draft Diamonds' 2016 Small School Prospects. The list is comprised of players from the Football Championship Subdivision, Division II and Division III players. Among the nine tight ends identified, four come from FCS, two from Division II and three from Division III.

Last season, Brown led the Golden Rams in all receiving categories with 53 catches for 1,059 yards and 17 scores. His receiving yards and touchdowns were tops in the country among tight ends. Brown was named first team All-PSAC East, first team Super Region One by Daktronics, first team Super Region One by Beyond Sports Network, first team Super Region One by Don Hansen Football Gazette, second team All-American by Daktronics and Beyond Sports Network, and first team All-American by Don Hansen Football Gazette.

The other Division II tight end on the NFL Draft Diamonds' list is Cole Spurgeon of Colorado School of Mines. Interestingly, he's not listed on the Ore Diggers' roster as a tight end, but as a wide receiver. Last season, Spurgeon caught 66 passes for 939 yards and 11 touchdowns. He was named first-team All-RMAC, first team Super Region Four by Daktronics, first team Super Region Four by Beyond Sports Network, first team Super Region Four by Don Hansen Football Gazette, first team All-American by Daktronics and Beyond Sports Network, and second team All-American by Don Hansen Football Gazette. The AFCA All-American team included a third running back in lieu of a tight end.

Similarly to West Chester, Mines finished the 2014 regular season 10-1 and earned the fourth seed in their region in the NCAA Division II playoffs. However, Mines lost in the first round to Ohio Dominican while the Golden Rams, behind Brown's monster performance of seven catches for 164 yards and three touchdowns, advanced to the second round. Last month, Spurgeon was named preseason All-American by Sporting News.

Here's a look at the West Chester records that Brown currently holds:

• Receiving Yards in a Playoff Game: 216 - Brown broke Brandon Simmons' 2004 record of 180 yards with his 216 yard effort last season at Concord.
  


• Receptions in a Playoff Game: 9 - Brown made nine catches in the second round playoff game at Concord last year, breaking the mark of eight catches that was shared by Brian Penecale at Ferris St in 1994 and Scott Asman at Portland St in 1989.
  


• Playoff Receptions in a Career: 26- Brown shares this record with Mike Washington who, like Brown, played in six playoff games from 2002-2005.
  

Brown's 2014 season is among the top ten in West Chester history in receiving yards and touchdown receptions. He is also among the top ten in career touchdown receptions. In the playoffs, Brown is just one touchdown and 11 yards shy of owning those career records as well.

Editor's Note - NFL Draft Diamonds' list has grown since this article was first published.

NFL Draft Diamonds - NFL Draft Diamonds 2016 Small School Prospect Rankings