From 'miracle baby' to first-rounder: Ravens' Marquise Brown defies odds
From Pop Warner to the highest level of college football, Brown zipped past safeties and artfully sidestepped cornerbacks in the open field. The ultimate challenge is the NFL, where few receivers under 6 feet have starred except for the likes of DeSean Jackson, Steve Smith Sr. and Marquise's cousin Antonio Brown.
Marquise Brown believes he'll become the next game-breaker despite being 5 feet 9, 166 pounds, and it goes beyond his passion and work ethic. He has defied the odds since he was born.nike nfl jerseys cheap paypal
His mother, Shannon James, endured high-risk health complications while pregnant. Scary high blood pressure and failing kidneys, which later caused her to go on dialysis, caused James to give birth to Brown two weeks early.
Brown was also 5 pounds, 6 ounces, starting on a path where he would had to overcome his small stature to achieve his big dreams.
At the age of 2, Brown put on a Dan Marino jersey and refused to take it off. The only way he would change clothes was if he could still don the jersey over them.
Growing up, Brown had only football on the television. He was either watching games and highlights or playing Madden on his PlayStation.
"From early on, we always knew that football was something he wanted to do," said Shanice Brown, Marquise's sister. "Never in our wildest dreams did we know it would go this far."cheap nfl nike jerseys china
It was difficult to envision Brown becoming the first wide receiver taken (25th overall) in the 2019 NFL draft when he initially couldn't get on the field. His first pee wee coaches wouldn't play him in fear he would get hurt.
Wherever Marquise Brown would go, the initial impression was about his lack of size. He arrived at his junior college at 140 pounds. By the time he went to Oklahoma, he had bulked up ... to 144 pounds.
But when Brown put his hands on the ball, the conversation quickly changed to his speed, elusiveness and burst, even at an early age. During the Pee Wee Super Bowl, Brown's team trailed 6-0 at halftime before he scored three times in the second half for the victory.
"He’s determined," said Shaddrick Lowery, who was teammates with Brown from pee wee to junior college. "He always steps on the field with that chip on his shoulder because he’s small. After people get off the field playing against him, they’re like, ‘Yeah, that guy is the truth.’”
