Leddie Brown is Making a Case as One of the Top RBs in the Nation
Through the first two years of his career, West Virginia running back Leddie Brown had to split carries with Kennedy McKoy and Martell Pettaway and never really got a chance to be "the guy" in the backfield.
Brown showed flashes of promise but at times struggled to get himself in a groove. Some folks including myself began to wonder if he would ever hit full stride. After the first six games of the 2020 regular season, I think it's safe to say Leddie Brown has taken that next step. So much that he is now considered one of the best running backs in the nation statistically. He sits in the top five in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns and is 6th in rushing yards per game as you can see below.
One of the big reasons Brown has been so dominant? A much improved offensive line and his chemistry with that unit, which he talked about a few weeks ago.
“All camp, since we came back in July, I’ve been trying to get closer with the line, trying to figure what they’re doing so I can know what to do when it’s time to get into action,” said Brown. “That’s been a big stride from last year.”
The first thing I noticed about Brown right out of the gate vs Eastern Kentucky is that he was running harder and angry. This isn't something new in his game, but he's taken it into the next gear.
“I’m taking everything personal this season because last season, ain’t nobody have faith in us. So, coming into this season, I’m here to prove them wrong.”
Even former West Virginia running back Eugene Napoleon has been blown away with how Brown has performed this season and has gone as far as saying he is the emerging into one of the best backs in the country.
"Leddie Brown has answered the bell every game. He has the potential to be an every down back at the professional level. Leddie gets the tough inside yardage, and can take it the distance on long runs. He is good in the passing game which is really important when it comes to being an all around running back. In my opinion, Leddie has improved in every area of his game from last year. He is one of the top running backs in college football!"
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