Kentucky fans certainly know how valuable Barion Brown can be. For 3 seasons, like clockwork, Brown averaged around 13 yards per reception and took kickoffs to the house for touchdowns on special teams.
But Brown might not be a household name around the rest of the SEC. Yet, anyway. That could certainly change in 2025, and ESPN’s team of college football writers think there’s a good chance it will.
Earlier this week, ESPN identified under-the-radar players on each team in its preseason top 25 who could break out in the new season. For LSU, Brown was the player ESPN identified.
Here’s what Harry Lyles Jr. wrote on Brown:
If you’re familiar with Brown from his high school days, you may not consider him a sleeper. But the Kentucky transfer could finally reach his full potential in Baton Rouge. After a standout freshman season in Lexington, he never made the big statistical leaps many expected. But with Garrett Nussmeier at quarterback and other talent at receiver (Aaron Anderson, Oklahoma transfer Nic Anderson) and tight end (Trey’Dez Green, Oklahoma transfer Bauer Sharp), perhaps Brown can break out in 2025.
Brown started 27 games across 3 seasons with Kentucky before transferring to LSU earlier this offseason. He had 50 receptions in 2022, 43 receptions in 2023, and then 29 catches in 2024. He had more than 500 yards and 4 scores in each of his first 2 collegiate seasons, but his numbers last season dipped. That wasn’t because of Brown, to be clear. Kentucky’s passing attack cratered. Its quarterback ranked 14th out of 15 qualified SEC passers in Total QBR.
The 6-foot Brown managed to make an impact elsewhere, though. He had a rushing touchdown and a kickoff return for a score. The kick return was his fifth touchdown return of his career. Brown had 1 in 2022 as a freshman and 3 in 2023.
Brown was a first-team All-SEC selection as a return man last season. The Sporting News named him a first-team All-American in 2023. He was also a Freshman All-SEC selection in 2022, as well as an All-Freshman selection by PFF.
In a loaded receiver room, Brown could theoretically punish defenses underneath and in space. And he’s moving from a team with major question marks at quarterback to one with arguably the best pure passer in the country.
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Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
