May 2, 2015

Brown Final NIU Bio 

DeKALB, Ill. - Northern Illinois University wide receiver Da'Ron Brown became the third Huskie player to be selected in the National Football League Draft in the last two years when the Kansas City Chiefs made him the 233rd selection overall in the seventh round on Saturday.

Brown, a Chicago native out of Morgan Park High School, became the 36th NIU player all-time chosen in the NFL Draft. With his selection, NIU has had players drafted in back-to-back years for the first time since 2001 and 2002. He is the first Huskie wide receiver to be drafted since Darrell Hill in 2002 and becomes just the second NIU player ever to be drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs, joining linebacker Bob Gregolunas, a sixth-round selection in 1976.

Brown, was the Huskies' MVP and leading receiver as a senior in 2014, when he also earned second-team All Mid-American Conference honors. During his career, he was a part of three MAC Championship teams as his senior class won a school-record tying 46 games in his four seasons at NIU.

NIU Head Coach Rod Carey, who saw Brown develop from a high school quarterback into an NFL receiver during his time with the Huskies, was happy to hear the news.

"I'm super excited for Da'Ron," Carey said. "He deserves it. He's worked his whole career for this moment and I couldn't be prouder of him. He made a position move from high school quarterback to college wide receiver, and that's a steep learning curve. As he matured, his work ethic grew to where this year he was our Team MVP."

Brown caught 155 passes for 2,295 yards and 19 touchdowns while playing in 55 (of 56) games to finish his career ranked in the Top five all-time at NIU in all three categories. As a senior, he made a career-best 68 catches for 1,065 yards with six touchdowns in 14 games to become just the seventh Huskie in history to amass 1,000 receiving yards in a season. He caught at least one pass in every game as a senior, including a 54-yard game-winning score at UNLV and two second-half TDs at Northwestern to clinch a Huskie victory. He also carried the ball 10 times for 108 yards with a 61-yard rush versus Toledo. Brown earned second-team All-MAC honors as a senior.

Brown's selection comes one year after safety Jimmie Ward and defensive tackle Ken Bishop were chosen in the first and seventh rounds of the NFL Draft, respectively, a year ago by the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys. Both saw action in 2014.

"That just shows where our program is, to have players drafted in back-to-back years and hopefully more to come," Carey said. "It's a sign of individuals that work hard and also where our program is."

NIU, the defending MAC Champions, opens the 2015 season versus UNLV on Saturday, Sept. 5 in Huskie Stadium, the first of six home games for the Huskies in 2015. Season tickets are now on sale and can be purchased online at NIUHuskies.com/tickets or call 815-753-PACK (7225). Fans can see the most successful FBS team in Illinois play all six games this season for prices starting at just $99, a 61 percent discount off the single game price, or choose one of two mini-plans with three games for only $75. The new Huskie Family Pack, which includes four season tickets in sections A, B, F or G of Huskie Stadium is just $299. Faculty and staff, senior citizens (62 and over) and NIU Alumni Association members can purchase season tickets for just $115.

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