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In advance of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Bucs keep rolling in top talent for Top 30 visits. The latest is a trio of talented players from Illinois, including twin brothers Chase and Sydney Brown. Chase Brown was Illinois’ leading rusher and a second-team All-American, while his twin brother, Sydney was an All-Big Ten safety and second-team All-American.
The news was first reported by NFL reporter Aaron Wilson.
Illinois @IlliniFootball running back Chase Brown visiting @Buccaneers, per a league source (4.43, 40-inch vertical, 10-7 broad jump, 25 bench reps) also visited the #Commanders, per a league source. Second-team All-American, All-Big Ten pick rushed for 1,643 yards, 10… https://t.co/AaXTTrKYqP
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) April 18, 2023
Illinois safety Sydney Brown visiting #Buccaneers per a league source Brown (4.47 speed, 40 1/2 inch vertical, 10-10 broad jump, 23 reps, also had a 30 visit with the #Falcons, per a league source. All-Big Ten Conference selection intercepted six passes last season with 59… https://t.co/XAeo45cKF9
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) April 18, 2023
The other Fighting Illini to attend the AdventHealth Training Center on a Top 30 visit with the Bucs is nickel cornerback Quan Martin. That news was first reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
#Illinois CB Quan Martin is on a Top 30 visit with the #Commanders today, source said. That makes 10 total: #Titans, #Saints, #Giants, #Colts, #Seahawks, #Packers, #Bills, #Lions and #Bucs.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 18, 2023
Bucs Have An Interest In All 3 Illinois Stars
Having all three Illinois stars in for pre-draft Top 30 visits makes sense. Tampa Bay had formal meetings with both Sydney Brown and Quan Martin at the NFL Scouting Combine. Chase Brown couldn’t confirm if he met with the Bucs in Indianapolis or not, but both he and his brother met with the team at the Senior Bowl.
Chase Brown is a muscular, compactly built runner with 3,558 yards and 18 touchdowns in five years at Illinois. He had breakthrough season last year, when he carried the ball 328 times for 1,643 yards (5.0 avg.) and caught 37 passes for 240 yards (9.0 avg.) and three TDs. Brown will be a good, productive, rotational back in the NFL and a Day 3 pick – likely in the fourth round.
Illinois S Sydney Brown – Photo by: USA Today
The Bucs could use another running back to fill out the depth chart and compete for touches with Rachaad White, Ke’Shawn Vaughn and Chase Edmonds. Brown is the third running back to visit the Bucs this offseason on a Top 30, joining Texas’ Roschon Johnson and Alabama’s Jahmyr Gibbs.
Sydney Brown could be a third- or fourth-round pick. At just under 5-foot-10, 211 pounds, Brown might be too small to play safety for some teams. But Bucs head coach Todd Bowles doesn’t mind smaller safeties, and Antoine Winfield Jr. is a similar size. Brown had 10 interceptions in his five years at Illinois, including a conference-high six picks last season. He broke up 26 passes and forced four fumbles during his Fighting Illini career.
Tampa Bay has just three safeties in Winfield, Ryan Neal and Nolan Turner, and needs to draft another one. Brown is the first known safety to visit the Bucs on a Top 30 visit.
Jartavius “Quan” Martin is slightly taller at 5-foot-11, 194 pounds. In his five years at Illinois he recorded seven interceptions and broke up 30 passes with 14 PBUs and three picks last year. Martin played the nickel “star” position for the Fighting Illini and the Bucs could use a slot cornerback to replace Sean Murphy-Bunting in Tampa Bay.
Martin is the second cornerback to visit the Bucs on a Top 30 visit, joining K-State’s Julius Brents. The Bucs could use another cornerback in this year’s draft.
