UNI’s Spencer Brown picked by Buffalo Bills in NFL Draft

CEDAR FALLS — Northern Iowa All-America offensive tackle Spencer Brown was selected in the third round with the 93rd overall pick by the Buffalo Bills on Friday night in the NFL Draft.

Brown, a native of Lenox, was projected between rounds 2 and 4 as a result of his high ceiling and untapped potential.

After arriving at UNI in 2016 as a tall, slim tight end who starred for the Class 8-Player Tigers, he added nearly 100 pounds to his frame and developed into a 6-foot-8, 311-pound right tackle.

Dan Shonka, former NFL scout and current general manager of OurLads Scouting Services, told The Gazette that the analytics of Brown bested anyone at the position athletically in this year’s draft class.

“Spencer Brown was the No. 1 athletic tackle in this draft,” Shonka said. “He just had a tremendous (pro day), and on top of it all, with that length of his, his flexibility, the long arms and his ascending talent, some team may pluck him earlier in the second (round). I talked to about four (NFL) offensive line coaches the last couple weeks and they all really like him.”

Brown told The Gazette earlier this week that he met with all 32 teams, and while most consider his talent to be raw, they were impressed with his measurables, pro-day performance and his game film.

After opting out of the 2020 spring FCS season to prepare for the draft, Brown moved to California late last August and trained with former San Francisco 49ers All-Pro tackle Joe Staley.

Brown is expected to be a part of UNI’s first-ever duo of selections in the same draft, as former teammate Elerson G. Smith has been projected as a day-three pick after earning All-America status as a defensive end for the Panthers.