BREAKING: Earnest Brown IV selected 174th overall by the Los Angeles Rams in 2021 NFL Draft

After many wondered whether any other Wildcats would be selected in the 2021 NFL Draft following the historic first round selections of Rashawn Slater and Greg Newsome, defensive end Earnest Brown IV was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the fifth round with 174th overall pick, making him Northwestern’s third selected player of the class.

This is the first time since 2010 that Northwestern has had at least three players selected in the NFL Draft. In that year, they saw Mike Kafka and Cory Wootton selected in the fourth round by the Philadelphia Eagles and the Chicago Bears, respectively, and Sherrick McManis selected by the Houston Texans in the fifth round.

Brown finished his senior year at Northwestern in 2020 with 32 total tackles, eight tackles for loss and a sack, as well as a fumble recovery in NU’s Citrus Bowl victory over Auburn.

He also becomes the Rams’ sixth selection of the 2021 draft, with the organization having already drafted wide receivers Tutu Atwell and Jacob Harris, defensive back Robert Rochell and defensive tackle Bobby Brown III.

Congratulations to Earnest Brown IV and his family!