When the news broke in December 2025 that Jared Brown was officially hanging up the Garnet and Black to head for the NFL, it felt like the end of a very specific era in Columbia. He wasn't the guy who stayed for five years and broke every record. Honestly, he wasn't even there that long. But if you’ve watched a single snap of South Carolina Gamecocks football over the last two seasons, you know exactly why the scouts are salivating.
He’s fast. Like, "don't blink or you'll miss the crossing route" fast.
The Lilburn, Georgia native basically spent his college career proving that he could be a "lightning in a bottle" type of player, first at Coastal Carolina and then in the SEC. But his journey wasn't just a highlight reel of 50-yard bombs. It was sort of a gritty, injury-plagued lesson in resilience that might actually make him a better pro in the long run.
Jared Brown: What Most People Get Wrong About His Production
If you just look at the box scores from 2024 and 2025, you might be tempted to say he underperformed at South Carolina.
That’s a mistake.
In 2024, his first year after transferring from Coastal, he was essentially a walking bandage. He only started three games. He missed three of the middle four contests with nagging injuries. When he was on the field, he was still averaging 16.3 yards per catch. That is a massive chunk of field every time the ball touched his hands. You can't coach that kind of vertical gravity.
Then came 2025.
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His raw stats—6 catches for 102 yards—don't look like much on paper. But look closer. He missed time against Virginia Tech, Oklahoma, and Ole Miss. Yet, when the lights were brightest in the season finale against Clemson, he was there, hauling in 40 yards of his total season production against one of the best defenses in the country. He finished his final year with a career-high 17 yards per reception.
Essentially, Jared Brown became the ultimate "efficiency" player. He didn't need 10 targets to ruin a defensive coordinator's Saturday. He just needed one.
The Coastal Carolina Roots: Where the Legend Started
Before he was a Gamecock, Brown was absolutely lighting up the Sun Belt. People forget how dominant he was at Coastal. He wasn't just a receiver; he was a gadget-play nightmare.
- 2022 Freshman All-American: He became the first freshman in Coastal history to post back-to-back 100-yard games.
- Versatility: He was lining up at wideout, in the slot, and even taking handoffs out of the backfield.
- The "Big Play" Machine: Every single one of his seven touchdowns in 2022 was for 30 yards or more.
Think about that for a second. He didn't do "boring" touchdowns. If he scored, it was usually because he'd outrun the entire secondary. That 2022 season saw him finish with nearly 800 receiving yards and almost 200 rushing yards. He was the Sun Belt Freshman of the Year for a reason.
By the time he left Conway for Columbia, he had 1,534 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns in just three seasons. He was the centerpiece of an offense that relied on his ability to stretch the field.
Transitioning to the SEC: A Different Beast
Moving from the Sun Belt to the SEC is like jumping from a local go-kart track to the Formula 1 circuit. The speed is different. The hits are harder.
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Jared Brown’s transition was handled by a rotating door of play-callers and quarterbacks. Working with LaNorris Sellers, Brown had to adapt from being "the guy" to being a tactical weapon. Under wide receivers coach Mike Furrey, he spent the 2025 offseason obsessing over his route running.
"I’m getting better at being a real, true receiver," Brown said during the August 2025 camp. He knew that in the NFL, you can’t just rely on a 4.3-forty. You have to be able to sink your hips and win at the top of the route.
Even with the injuries, his career totals are nothing to sneeze at:
- 45 games played
- 1,880 receiving yards
- 512 rushing yards
- 14 total touchdowns
He finishes his college career with 2,392 total yards. That's a lot of grass covered by one pair of cleats.
Why the 2026 NFL Draft Could be the Turning Point
So, what happens now?
Brown officially declared for the 2026 NFL Draft alongside teammates like Monkell Goodwine and Nick Barrett. The "pro ready" argument for Brown isn't about his volume of catches—it's about his versatility. NFL teams are currently obsessed with "positionless" players.
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Can he play the "Z" receiver? Yes.
Can he take a jet sweep for 20 yards? Done it.
Can he return punts? He’s got the tape.
The biggest hurdle for him will be the medical reports. Teams will want to know if his 2024-2025 injury struggles were a fluke or a pattern. If he clocks a sub-4.4 at the combine—which most scouts expect—someone is going to take a flyer on him in the middle rounds. He has the "Tyreek Hill-lite" profile that modern offensive coordinators crave.
What's Next: Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you're following the draft process or just a South Carolina fan wondering who fills the void, keep these points in mind:
- Watch the Combine: This is where Brown wins. His draft stock will live or die by his 40-yard dash and his "shuttle" times. If he’s healthy, he could be one of the top "risers" in the pre-draft process.
- The "Slot" Market: Keep an eye on NFL teams like the Dolphins, Chiefs, or Texans—teams that prize horizontal stretch and yards-after-catch (YAC). Those are the natural landing spots for a player of his build (6-0, 190 lbs).
- The Gamecocks' New Room: With Brown gone, look for younger guys in the South Carolina room to step up. The "explosive" role is now vacant, and whoever fills it has big shoes (and fast ones) to fill.
Jared Brown’s time in South Carolina might have felt brief, and maybe even a bit frustrating due to those injury timeouts, but he provided a spark that kept defenses honest. He wasn't just another transfer; he was a reminder that speed remains the ultimate equalizer in college football.
Keep your eyes on the scouting reports this spring. Jared Brown isn't done running yet.
Practical Next Steps:
- Review the Tape: If you’re an amateur scout, go back and watch the 2023 Coastal vs. Army game or the 2024 South Carolina vs. LSU game to see his twitch in person.
- Monitor the Senior Bowl: Check if Brown receives an invite to any post-season all-star games, as these will be vital for his draft stock.
- Update Roster Projections: If you play Devy or Dynasty college fantasy, note that South Carolina's 2026 receiving corps will likely shift toward a more possession-heavy style without his deep-threat presence.