Covitz: In second year, Jalil Brown turns a corner for the Chiefs

[Tribal Warfare]

In second year, Jalil Brown turns a corner for the Chiefs
By RANDY COVITZ
The Kansas City Star
A year ago, Chiefs cornerback Jalil Brown wouldn’t have been ready for this.

Because the lockout kept teams from holding offseason programs or minicamps, Brown, like most of last year’s rookies, was not prepared for the demands of an NFL training camp, much less seeing substantial playing time at the start of the preseason.

But one year later, Brown is playing with confidence and moxie. A foot injury to Brandon Flowers early in camp elevated Brown to the starting left cornerback position.

When Flowers lined up at left corner during the Tuesday morning walk-through, Brown slid over to right cornerback in place of Stanford Routt, a free-agent acquisition. But Flowers was back on the sidelines on Wednesday, so it appears Brown will start at left corner on Friday night in the preseason opener against Arizona.

“Jalil has some flexibility,” head coach Romeo Crennel said. “He’s made some plays in practice. We’ll probably roll him in just a little bit more so we can get a better look at him. I would have to say that what he’s done deserves more look.

“He’s more confident because I think he understands the system. He understands what it takes to play the game. Last year, he didn’t really know what it took to play the game. I saw improvement toward the end of the year, particularly on special teams. That’s where his improvement showed up … his effort, his toughness, as well.”

Brown, the Chiefs’ fourth-round pick from Colorado in 2011, discovered it took more than raw athletic ability to play cornerback in the NFL.

“Last year, I didn’t realize it at the time, but without having the OTAs and minicamps, that definitely set me back a ton,” Brown said. “I didn’t realize how much I was at a disadvantage.

“I had to learn how to be a professional going through the year, and going through OTAs, I learned what it takes to go in the training room and get ready and how to spend extra time in the film room.”

Brown, who is from Phoenix, is especially looking forward to Friday night’s game against his hometown Cardinals. He matched up against Cardinals superstar receiver Larry Fitzgerald in the teams’ joint practice on Tuesday and could be defending Fitzgerald on Friday, depending on how much the Arizona starters play.

“When you go against a receiver of that caliber, you learn what you have to do to compete with him,” Brown said of Fitzgerald. “I’ll be ready to go. I know now the coaches have me playing both sides. They throw me in left or right, whichever will help the team, I’ll do it.”

Fitzgerald took notice of Brown during Tuesday’s practice and was surprised to hear he had so little experience at the NFL level.

“He’s in his second year?” Fitzgerald said. “He’s physical, he has good ball skills … he broke up a couple balls on me. He’s an impressive athlete.”

Brown, 6-1, 204, honed his coverage skills at Colorado, facing the likes of Missouri’s Jeremy Maclin and Denario Alexander, Oklahoma State’s Dez Bryant and Justin Blackmon, and Texas’ Jordan Shipley, among others.

But at Colorado, he was the other corner. Most attention was focused on the Buffaloes’ Jimmy Smith, who was taken in the first round by Baltimore. That worked to Brown’s advantage.

“We came in the same year, so we were competing since day one and working our way up to our senior year,” said Brown, who made 28 starts in his college career and intercepted six passes, including a team-high three in 2010.

“It helped me to play with a little chip on my shoulder, because when we were playing, I was trying to be the best out there, and he was doing the same, so to see him get some recognition made me want to try harder, and that, in turn, helped me perform better and get some looks.”

Brown appeared in 14 games as a rookie with the Chiefs last year and ranked second on the team with eight special-teams tackles, plus he recovered a fumble on a kickoff return against the Jets.

“Early on, there’s no telling when you’re going to get out there on offense or defense as a rookie, so your first mark is to get out there on special teams, and that’s exactly what I was trying to do,” Brown said. “Fortunately for me, at the end of the season, I started to figure out things a little bit and started to come along. Special teams helped me perform better and get some confidence.”

Brown also was a quick study behind Flowers and Brandon Carr, the Chiefs’ starter at right cornerback who signed with Dallas as an unrestricted free agent this year.

“It was great to play behind them,” Brown said. “There were little small things I watched and learned from them, talked with them … little tips they gave me, how to align, how to stay square, how to play different receivers different ways.

“You can’t go out there with the same technique against every guy because every technique has a weakness, so you have to have multiple (skills) to use against them.”

[KCrockaholic]

Good. Cause last year he was pretty bad, and looked lost.

He's a really nice guy btw.

[ChiefGator]

Originally Posted by KCrockaholic

He's a really nice guy btw.

Yeah, kinda got that impression from some of the press interviews. I really do love his quote about OTAs, and not realizing how much he was missing.

[InChiefsHeaven]

I was happy we picked him up, and I bet he turns out to be pretty damn good.

[Micjones]

This is one position where the Chiefs have had luck in the Draft.
Brown should see the field quite a bit in sub-packages.

[Mr. Laz]

Having another CB that can play outside will be really nice.

Arenas is ok but he should really only be a slot guy

[sedated]

Originally Posted by Tribal Warfare

“Last year, I didn’t realize it at the time, but without having the OTAs and minicamps, that definitely set me back a ton,” Brown said. “I didn’t realize how much I was at a disadvantage.

Here that, Bowe?

[-King-]

Originally Posted by sedated

Here that, Bowe?

Um...Brown was a rookie last year. Bowe is in his 6th year.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Direckshun]

Thank god.

I am really hoping he comes along.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by sedated

Here that, Bowe?

I THINK HE HERES IT

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

I THINK HE HERES IT

Does he HERE it or THERE it?

[saphojunkie]

This will sound like good ol' fashioned internet BB rhetoric, but I have been really optimistic about this kid. Maybe it's because he played with Jimmy Smith, but I really saw him as a comparable player. Just a big, physical corner that could end up being a force in the secondary.

The kid has athletic ability, and if he's willing to learn, Emmit Thomas is more than able to teach. Hopefully by next year, he's showing Tyler Wilson just how dangerous our secondary is...

in training camp.

[Direckshun]

Jalil Brown just looked like a crap pick last year. If he is solid depth, I'll be happy. If he becomes starting material, I will blow Pioli hard.

Obviously 2012's class has yet to play out, but even with the 2009 draft included, our scouting department has become Top 5 in the NFL. I freaking love it.

[lcarus]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

Jalil Brown just looked like a crap pick last year. If he is solid depth, I'll be happy. If he becomes starting material, I will blow Pioli hard.

Obviously 2012's class has yet to play out, but even with the 2009 draft included, our scouting department has become Top 5 in the NFL. I freaking love it.

Yeah, it's nice to be able to draft good young players isn't it? We went so long with the Carl Peterson era drafts, I had almost forgotten, you can actually get good young players by DRAFTING THEM!

[Pasta Little Brioni]

I can't wait for the "return of Berry a safety net for the defense" article.