Noah Brown declares for the 2017 NFL Draft

Ohio State’s catch-of-the-year candidate Noah Brown has declared for the 2017 NFL Draft, and will begin preparing for his chance to compete in front of scouts at the combine and pro day workouts.

After a freshman season buried in the depth chart and another year he was forced to claim a medical redshirt, Buckeye wide receiver Noah Brown finally made a name for himself in 2016. He finished his first full season as the starter tied for most receiving touchdowns (7) with Curtis Samuel and recorded 32 receptions for 402 yards.

Brown’s claim to fame will be his performance in Week 4 against Oklahoma, earning him Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week. Not only did he snag four (!) touchdowns and a career-high 72 yards on the Sooners turf, but also made one of the best catches in the history of football. It has been made into a shirt and immortalized in the eyes of Buckeye Nation.

Brown peaked a year later than expected, following a broken leg that sidelined him just two weeks before the 2015 season opener. He was going to make an impact on the outside, while drawing coverage away from teammate Michael Thomas — but he never got his chance. Instead, he spent a year trying to rehab not one, but two surgeries to repair his broken leg.

He was expected to start in 2015 after dropping 23 pounds and working hard at being a good perimeter blocker. The wideout only had one reception for nine yards his first season with the Buckeyes, but he was buried deep in the depth chart behind Devin Smith, Evan Spencer and Thomas.