Thomas Brown

KR, RB · Georgia
What Brown might lack in size and bulk, he makes up for with strength and speed. His biggest obstacle has been injuries, having missed 11 contests during his career due to various ailments. He still went on to rank fifth in school annals with 529 carries for 2,646 yards during his career. His average of 22.7 yards per kickoff return placed him seventh on the Bulldogs' all-time record list and his 3,767 all-purpose yards rank fourth in Georgia history. Brown was an Atlanta Journal-Constitution Super 11, Super Southern 100 and Class AAAA All-State choice as a senior at Tucker High School. He added Fox Sports Net All-South second-team, Super Prep Elite 50, All-American and All-Dixie accolades. He was also a Rivals.com Top 100, Southeast Elite, Georgia Top 50 pick and rated the fourth-best running back in the nation by Tom Lemming's Top 100 squad. The Prep Star Dream Team 100 choice played in just seven games as a senior due to a broken leg he suffered in a game vs. South Forsyth High. He still rushed for 1,632 yards and 13 touchdowns as a junior, and in seven games during his senior year he added 941 yards and 17 scores. The team finished with a 12-1 record in his junior season and a 12-2 record in his final campaign, when he also started at defensive back. Brown made an immediate impact during his first season at Georgia, earning Freshman All-Southeastern Conference honors, in addition to being the recipient of the team's Offensive Newcomer of the Year Award and Victors Club Award. Even though he started just three of 11 games and missed the South Carolina clash with a hamstring pull, he still led the team with 875 yards and eight touchdowns on 172 carries (5.1 avg). He caught 16 passes for 150 yards (9.4 avg) and added 18 yards on a kickoff return, finishing his first season as a Bulldog with 1,043 all-purpose yards. Named the team's Most Consistent Running Back, the Doak Walker Award list member started 12 games in 2005, sitting out vs. Louisiana-Monroe with a shoulder sprain. He led the team again with 147 attempts for 736 yards (5.2 avg) and four scores, adding 67 yards on six catches. He also threw a 9-yard touchdown pass, as he totaled 822 all-purpose yards. In 2006, Brown started five of the team's first seven games, as he was benched for a few contests due to inconsistent play. His season would later come to an end when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee returning a kickoff vs. Vanderbilt. He still ranked third on the team with 62 rushes for 256 yards (4.1 avg) and a touchdown. He made seven catches for 71 yards and returned 15 kickoffs for 379 yards (25.3 avg) and a score before his injury. Brown started seven of 10 games in 2007, missing three contests after he suffered a left collarbone break vs. Tennessee. He actually hurt his shoulder in the Mississippi clash when he dove into the end zone at the end of a 50-yard touchdown run. When he returned later in the season, freshman sensation Knowshon Moreno was firmly entrenched as the Bulldogs' starting tailback. Brown managed to total 779 yards with 10 touchdowns on 148 runs (5.3 avg), 84 yards on 10 receptions and 333 yards on 15 kickoff returns (22.2 avg). That gave him 1,196 all-purpose yards for his final campaign. In 40 games at Georgia, Brown started 27 contests. He ranks fifth in school history with 2,646 yards on 529 carries (5.0 avg), scoring 23 times on the ground. He snared 39 passes for 372 yards (9.5 avg) and two scores, adding 749 yards and a touchdown on 33 kickoff returns (22.7 avg). He completed one pass for a 9-yard score and recorded four solo tackles, as he amassed 3,767 all-purpose yards, an average of 94.18 yards per game.