Philadelphia Eagles select former Illini Sydney Brown with 66th pick in 2023 NFL draft
Senior defensive back Sydney Brown on the field during his senior day game against Purdue on Nov. 11. Brown was selected to play for the Eagles during the NFL draft on Friday.
April 28, 2023
Former Illinois defensive back Sydney Brown has been selected in the third round of the 2023 NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles with the 66th overall pick. Brown is the twin brother of Chase Brown, former Illinois running back and 2023 NFL draft prospect.
The third Illini off the board, Brown was a cornerstone of an elite Illinois defense in 2022.
Sydney Brown grew up in London, Ontario, but along with his brother Chase, transferred to a high school in Bradenton, Florida in 2016. Brown joined the Illini defense as a true freshman in 2018, recording an interception in his first year with the orange and blue.
Over the course of his Illinois career, Brown evolved into one of the best and most versatile safeties in the Big Ten, as he racked up 10 interceptions to go along with a pair of sacks and over 300 tackles during his time with the Illini.
Brown was a team captain during the 2022 season, as he piloted a stellar Illini defense to an 8-4 record in the regular season and was selected to first-team All-Big Ten.
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Further solidifying himself a spot in the 2023 draft class, Brown showed out at the NFL combine where he tied the second-most bench press reps (23) amongst defensive backs and ran a 4.47 in the 40-yard dash.
Brown adds another piece of depth to an already stacked Eagles defense.
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