Bryce Brown

Bryce Lee Brown (born May 14, 1991) is a former American football running back who played for the Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills, and Seattle Seahawks.

He attended the University of Tennessee his freshman year of college, but decided to transfer to Kansas State after head coach Lane Kiffin left the program for USC.

Arthur Brown committed to the University of Miami in December 2007, which led to rumors whether Bryce may complete his high school in Coral Gables, Florida, since their mother once told USA Today that Bryce “is wanting to go to high school wherever Arthur chooses to go to college.” Bryce Brown, however, eventually decided to remain in Wichita for his senior season.

While playing at Wichita High School East, he won the 2008 Hall Trophy for the best high school player in the United States and was ranked atop of the Rivals.com ranking of his class, the first running back to do so since Adrian Peterson in 2004.

In 2008, he was also dubbed the best high school running back prospect of the last five years.

In 2008, Rivals.com analyst Barry Every compared Brown to NFL running back Ronnie Brown.

A First-team All-City league selection as a freshman, he rushed for 1,472 yards and 12 touchdowns.

He followed that up with an even more impressive sophomore campaign, rushing for 2,039 yards and 26 TDs.

Brown was a consensus First-team All-State selection as well as EA Sports National Sophomore of the Year.

He amassed more than 50 scholarship offers.

During his junior year, Brown rushed for 1,825 yards on 207 carries (8.8 avg) and 23 touchdowns, earning him All-City and All-State honors.

He wore #5 in his Junior year.

He was also recognized as a member of the Kansas “Fab 11” and was the lone junior that was named a USA Today Prep All-American.

In fact, Tom Lemming of CSTV considered Brown to be better than all of the senior running backs in the 2008 class (which included Darrell Scott, Ryan Williams, and Cyrus Gray).

Brown was believed to be the top running back prospect from Kansas since Barry Sanders.

In October 2008, Brown was selected to the 2009 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

Brown finished the 2008 season with a Wichita City League regular-season record 1,873 yards rushing, giving him 7,209 rushing yards overall, also a City League record.

He was named to the USA Today All-USA First-team for the second consecutive time.

His workouts, recruiting, and news media requests were handled by Brian Butler, who identified himself as Brown's trainer and handler.

Butler sold updates of Brown's recruitment via website for $9.99 a month or $59 a year and sought contributions that he says were used to take players on a tour of colleges each summer.

At one point, Butler announced Brown was considering entering the Canadian Football League (CFL), but Brown backed down from that claim.

As a result of Butler's handling, the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s amateurism certification staff launched an investigation to determine whether anything had been done that would jeopardize Brown's amateur status.

The NCAA's investigation eventually cleared Brown to play before the start of his freshman season.

On February 22, 2008, Brown chose to follow his brother and verbally committed to the University of Miami.

However, Brown did not sign a letter of intent on National Signing Day 2009, but instead planned to announce his decision on March 16, naming five other "finalists" despite his oral commitment to Miami: LSU, Tennessee, Oregon, USC, and Kansas State.

Said ESPN.com′s Tom Luginbill: "If I was Randy Shannon and the Miami staff, I would tell the kid and Brian Butler to go jump in a lake. I got to imagine that deep down, Miami's coaches have to be thinking, 'This is getting ridiculous.'" Prior to his announcement, Brown paid official visits to Oregon and Clemson, and finally took an impromptu visit to Tennessee on March 13.

Citing an anonymous source, the Associated Press reported the University of Miami would not reissue a national letter of intent to Brown to replace the one that expired Wednesday, February 18.

Brown's advisor Brian Butler told AP he was unaware scholarship offers have an expiration date, but reiterated that Brown would not sign until March 16.

According to Palm Beach Post′s Jorge Milian UM coach Shannon called Brown on Tuesday, February 17, and allegedly told him the University of Miami was no longer interested in his services.

However, Brown later told Wichita Eagle that Shannon still wanted him to be a Hurricane.

Due to NCAA rules, Shannon was not allowed to comment.

On March 16, 2009, Brown announced at a press conference at the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame in Wichita, Kansas, that he would attend the University of Tennessee.

"I feel that's the school that's gonna prepare me the best to go to the next level," Brown said at the press conference.

Entering college with an enormous amount of hype, Brown was expected to see considerable playing time during his true freshman year and spent the 2009 season in the top two running back rotation.

His amateur status was under investigation by the NCAA prior to the season, but Brown was cleared only a few days later.

Brown spent the season as a backup to senior Montario Hardesty.

Brown finished the season with 460 yards rushing, second on the team behind Hardesty.

Later that year, Volunteers coach Derek Dooley declined to release Brown from his scholarship, resulting in Brown sitting out the 2010 season at Kansas State due to NCAA transfer rules.

Brown left the Kansas State football team early in the 2011 season to enter the 2012 NFL Draft.

In April 2012, Brown was drafted in the 7th round by the Philadelphia Eagles.