Howe: Kaleb Brown Betting on Himself, Iowa

Decision to Leave Ohio State for Hawkeyes Not Easy One for Chicago Receiver

Iowa receiver Kaleb Brown. (Rob Howe/HawkeyeNation.com)

IOWA CITY, Iowa - Receiver Kaleb Brown spoke with the media Tuesday for the first time since transferring here from Ohio State this offseason. A key addition for an offense in serious need of help came across as very reflective. 

It makes sense. The second-year sophomore is leaving one of the country's top offenses for one that, to be nice, is not. It's a move leading others to create their own narratives. 

To be clear, Brown believes success was coming with the Buckeyes. Considering their embarrassment of riches at his position, it probably wasn't imminent. 

Nobody's feelings should be hurt hearing me declare Ohio State's receiver room more talented than Iowa's. If you're debating that, well, we're not on the same page. 

"One of the reasons for leaving was just how stacked we were at Ohio State," Brown said. 

OSU receiver coach Brian Hartline sees three first-round picks for next year's NFL Draft among the group. It's adding a five-star and three four-stars this fall in the true freshmen class.

Ergo, Brown stands a better chance playing for the Hawkeyes this season than he does in Columbus. That doesn't mean he would be on the Buckeye bench. He's playing the odds. 

A soft-broken Brown seemed wary of saying too much. He certainly didn't want to utter something that could be misconstrued, taken as an insult by his former school, his new school and/or fans from both.

Again, it makes sense. He lives in a world where information travels faster than ever. It's often filled with nuance, context is needed and too often there are inaccuracies.

That's what we have here. This was a difficult decision for Brown. And it might not be the right one. But it's one made with the best intentions after a lot of deep thought.  

"It was hard to up and leave my team," he said. "I definitely felt like I could have stayed and made an impact. But there's only so much time you have. I made the decision that it was something I just had to do." 

A four-star prospect in the 2022 recruiting class coming out of Chicago St. Rita, Brown reported scholarship offers from Alabama, Michigan, Notre Dame, Penn State and a lot of others. He chose Ohio State, a factory for NFL players at his position. 

Iowa doesn't often beat the blue bloods for recruits. The odds go down when we're talking receivers. 

The Hawkeyes tried hard with Brown a few recruiting cycles ago. He talked with HN after they offered a scholarship. 

While he liked them, Brown couldn't pass up playing in OSU's explosive attack. He had high hopes for Year 1, but appeared in just four games with one reception for five yards. Again, the Buckeyes were loaded on the outside. 

Brown competing during his first season in college also needs context. It's impressive when considering he played running back in high school and didn't enroll early. 

Last season, Ohio State ranked 14th out of 131 FBS programs nationally in passing yards (298.3) a contest. Its 42 touchdown throws were the 4th most. Iowa averaged 156.7 yards (123rd) with seven scoring passes (128th). 

The Buckeyes will be fine without Brown. The Hawkeyes should be better with him. And along with talent, he brings wisdom picked up in Columbus through a season and practice in the spring.  

"I feel like I took a lot away from that, just seeing the game. It was great to take from Ohio State, just to be developed by them, see how they roll and how things should be done," Brown said. 

That knowledge along with his pedigree make him an exciting addition here. He joins a rebuilt offense, which is adding new starting quarterback in Cade McNamara from Michigan along with former Charleston Southern receiver Seth Anderson and other key players. 

The Hawkeyes return just two scholarship receivers with a college reception. Nico Ragaini has 125. Diante Vines has 10, all coming last season. 

Brown heads into training camp after a crash course with Iowa's offense this summer. He's working with McNamara and other players at his position. He has a good connection with Ragaini. 

"It's definitely a process. It's not easy. But I'm working," Brown said. 

Working to make the most of this opportunity. Sometimes guys just need a chance. 

It's an extreme example, but we saw it when quarterback Joe Burrow won a Heisman Trophy and national championship at LSU after not cracking the lineup at Ohio State. Last year, receiver Charlie Jones earned second-team All-American honors at Purdue after catching 22 passes in two seasons at Iowa. 

It should be repeated that these comparisons come with context and nuance. That said, sometimes the grass is greener somewhere else. 

That's what Brown and the Hawkeyes are hoping. This offense needs a jolt. The new guy believes he can provide it given the chance,