Film Breakdown: What Rookie Running Back Chase Brown Brings to Bengals' Backfield

Cincinnati took Brown in the fifth round (163rd overall) in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Mike Santagata | Jun 2, 2023

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Cincinnati Bengals

Chase Brown is an experienced running back from the University of Illinois.

Born in London, Ontario, he's one of the few NFL players to come from Canada.

At the University of Illinois, he ran for back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons including 1,643 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2022. That last year at school earned him a Doak Walker finalist nod, a Maxwell Award semi-finalist nod, and was named a second team All-American.

Let’s dive into Brown as a player and why he was so good his last year at Illinois.

Where He Excels

Patience and vision to allow his blocks to set up. He tempos his runs very well and does a great job of showing veteran-like patience when needed on plays. He’s typically pressing the hole and working the defenders as well as making the correct decision and read on a play.

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— Wally the dog (@pff_wally) June 2, 2023

Brown has home run speed and athleticism. His 40-yard dash time (4.43) actually seems a tad slow for how he plays on film. He can take a run all the way if he’s given space and a crease to make it. This speed adds an explosive element to his game.

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— Wally the dog (@pff_wally) June 2, 2023

He has the ability to navigate through tight spaces. He is unbothered by guys falling around his feet and working tight quarters on plays. This is one of the areas that will translate to the NFL as he is showing his ability to read stalemates at the line of scrimmage and not just running through big holes.

Chase Brown navigating tight spaces and somehow staying upright for the TD pic.twitter.com/Ru6dtGabIu
— mike (@bengals_sans) May 3, 2023

Brown is a better receiver than statistics show. He makes catches outside of his frame, along the sideline, and is generally a guy that can be trusted when thrown the ball.

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— Wally the dog (@pff_wally) June 2, 2023

He's shown the ability to process and a willingness to block in pass protection. He knows what he needs to do and he is very willing to do it when it comes to protecting the quarterback.

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— Wally the dog (@pff_wally) June 2, 2023

Brown also has experience in a shotgun, gap heavy run scheme. This one makes for an easier translation of his running ability from Illinois to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Areas of Concern

He has a tendency to get tripped up a little bit more than you would like to see. His balance is questionable right now as there were more than a few instances of him getting tripped up by shoestring tackles than you would like to see.

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— Wally the dog (@pff_wally) June 2, 2023

He doesn’t consistently find hidden yardage by running with power behind his pads. He has flashes of high end power from his stout frame, but it wasn't consistent.

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— Wally the dog (@pff_wally) June 2, 2023

He does have some technical issues in pass protection. He consistently got himself in the right position, but he did not make the pickup because he was on his heels or lunging with his head down too often.

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— Wally the dog (@pff_wally) June 2, 2023

Overall Thoughts

Brown is a talented runner. He was fantastic on the field his last season at Illinois.

He is a Ferrari as a runner. He has home run speed and can take any carry to the house.

He could be better when trying to run though contact and staying on his feet through weaker tackle attempts, but overall the home run speed is something that you can’t find easily at the NFL level.

To go with the physical ability, he runs like a 10-year pro. He has patience and vision that is hard to find in young running backs. He does a great job of running with tempo so that he is working in perfect unison with his offensive line. He almost always makes the correct read and manipulates defenders so that he can open up a run.

His ability to navigate tight spaces is crucial to the NFL where things typically tighten up. Rather than having better offensive lines than the opposing defensive line, at the NFL level the running back has to be good at reading losses and stalemates.

Brown showed that he can do that in college, which should translate to his running at the next level. He’s a shifty runner that can make defenders miss in the open field. He showed high end burst as well making defenders pursuit angles wrong when it appears that they have him on a play. He ran a variety of concepts at Illinois from a long list of formations.

What’s pertinent to the Bengals is that he ran a ton of gap runs from shotgun formations. This is what Cincinnati will most likely as him to do so it’s a plus to know he has experience doing it at the collegiate level.

Brown is a solid receiver with room to grow if he’s given more opportunity. He didn't drop many passes in college and showed that he can make catches outside of his frame and along the sideline. Brown wasn't used much as a receiver in college, but it would not be too surprising if he’s used there more in his NFL career.

He’s an intriguing prospect with regards to his pass protection. He does a fantastic job of reading the defense and getting in the right position to pick up blitzers or anyone unaccounted for but he lacks the technical ability to sustain these blocks. While he may not be a high end pass protector early on, there is reason to believe that he could grow into the role after some work at the NFL level.

Scheme Fit

Brown will be a rotational back used to create a spark for the offense with home run capability. He could grow into the passing down back with some extra work in pass protection. Versatile and experienced runner who can thrive in gap, zone, shotgun, under center, or any other running system. I see him more as a committee running back than a possible workhorse with someone to come in and grind out short yardage.

NFL Comparison

Donald Brown

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