May 2, 2007
“First and foremost my goal is to stay focused and to make the roster” Brown said. “As we all know you can easily get cut if you don’t show up that day.”
The 6’3 210 pound wide receiver played his high school ball at Paul V Moore high school in Central Square NY. He was a 3 time All-League player who won his team’s MVP honors as a senior. In that season he caught 21 passes for 363 yards and scored a total of 7 touchdowns. His talent got him invited to play in the Governors Bowl, an all-star game of New York’s best players against their counterparts from New Jersey.
“He’s a gifted athlete but Aarons worked beyond that to get better and better” RedHawk head coach Bert Conklin said. “He’s shown what type of person you need to be, what type of work ethic you need to have”.
Aaron turned down recruiters from the University of Toledo and Cornell University to become a Wildcat at UNH. There he helped guide the program to the Division I-AA playoffs 3 straight years and a 30-9 overall record during that timeframe.
Playing as a true freshman Brown would play along side other talented stars. He would line up opposite David Ball. The All-American Ball would go on to catch 58 career touchdown passes and break Jerry Rice’s record of 50. They’d both catch passes from 2006 Walter Payton Award winner Ricky Santos who threw for 3100 yards and 29 TDs in their final year.
Brown himself would catch 136 balls for 1541 yards and 14 scores in 44 games. As a junior he hauled in 50 passes and followed that with 39 catches as a 2-year starter.
As far as sharing the limelight with record chaser Ball, Aaron has nothing but positives to say. “I believe that having David Ball here definitely helped me. When a team is looking at one player they see a little extra film, they’re obviously going to see other people” Brown said. “David’s a great receiver. He has helped this program in many ways.”
More than one Wildcat must have been noticed while looking at film. Defensive back Corey Graham was drafted in the 5th round by the Chicago Bears. The Monsters of the Midway also signed Ball to a free agent contract. Offensive lineman Tucker Peterson got the post-draft call from the Washington Redskins.
Although Brown didn’t get drafted he was in communication with NFL teams during the event. “I had already been talking to Chicago, St Louis and Washington when the Bills called me around the 250th pick” he said. “At the end of the draft they called back” Brown discussed his options with agents Joshua Marks and Tim Lynch of Stargazer Sports Marketing. “We felt this was my best opportunity”.
The Buffalo Bills had the 28th ranked passing attack in 2006. Quarterback JP Losman threw for 3051 yards and 19 TDs. His main targets were Lee Evans (82 catches for nearly 1300 yards and 8 scores) and Peerless Price (49-402-3). Backups were Roscoe Parrish (23-320-2) and Josh Reed (34-410-2). Third team is filled out with George Wilson and Sam Aiken.
The Bills drafted no receivers this year. They took RB Marshawn Lynch with the 12th pick of the 1st rd from California and Penn State linebacker Paul Posluszny in the 2nd. QB Trent Edwards (Stanford) followed in the 3rd. They did however sign a few other free agents for the receiving corp. Jemalle Cornelius of Florida and Scott Mayle of Ohio University were added to the roster.
It’ll be a short drive for Aaron Brown from Central Square to Buffalo but a long journey to make his dreams of playing in the NFL come true. “For me right now that is my only priority.”