Adding Value: Ben Brown's versatility is his greatest strength as he vies to make the Cincinnati Bengals

For a good chunk of his final Ole Miss season, Ben Brown was commonly projected as a fifth or sixth-round selection in the 2022 NFL Draft.

A few national analysts even believed he had a chance to climb a bit higher, especially after an Ole Miss career played all across the offensive line. Brown took every offensive snap (816) for Ole Miss as a redshirt junior and started every game at center.

However, a biceps injury cost Brown — who had moved back to guard — over half (seven games) of the 2021-2022 campaign. Ole Miss was 10-3 overall and appeared in the Sugar Bowl.

He was already at somewhat of a draft disadvantage because of his age (23), but his limited pre-draft process didn’t help matters, and the 6-foot-5, 312-pound Brown didn’t hear his name called over the three-day, seven-round draft over the weekend.

He found a nice landing spot, though. 

Brown signed a free agent contract with the offensive-lineman-hungry Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals are fresh off their third Super Bowl appearance in franchise history and first since the 80s.

“I feel like Ben should have got drafted, but I’m not the one to make those decisions,” Ole Miss offensive lineman Caleb Warren, an exclusive NIL partner of the Ole Miss Spirit, said. He’s sponsored by Booneville Community Pharmacy (662-728-1951).

“I’m happy for Ben getting the opportunity to continue to play the game. That’s a dream come true. It’s surreal that it’s gotten this close for me. I’m just happy for all those guys.”

Brown was one of seven Rebels signed in undrafted free agency. 

Ole Miss also produced six draft selections, tied for the most by the school in 50 years. Sam Williams was the first Rebel off the board, taken by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round. Dontario Drummond signed with the Cowboys, too, albeit as a free agent.

North Dakota State fourth-rounder Cordell Volson was the only lineman drafted by the Bengals. However, Brown will also have to contend with returning veterans Trey Hill and Hakeem Adeniji for the final roster spot along the interior of the front.

Still, there’s a path to the 53-man roster. Cincinnati entered the offseason intent on addressing its leaky line, which allowed 70 sacks in 20 games last season. Among its biggest moves was the addition of veteran tackle La’el Collins in NFL free agency.

“I called Ben Brown and walked him through the process of how it works,” former Ole Miss offensive lineman and eight-year NFL veteran Bradley Sowell said. Sowell co-hosts the Spirit’s Talk of Champions podcast.

“I told him to write down every lineman and who got drafted where. Once you get into that sixth and seventh round, teams start calling you. It’s almost like a recruiting process. Know where to go so you have a plan (and) you can get in the right situation. And once you get there, you can’t just be a guy. Everybody’s going to have the same talent you have. You’ve got to do something to provide value.”

Brown can play all along the offensive line, including both guard spots and center. 

He could likely handle right tackle in a pinch, too. That versatility is what Sowell believes could assist Brown — who played in 40 combined games over four Ole Miss seasons — in his pursuit of a roster spot.

Brown didn’t allow a sack on 432 pass blocks as a redshirt junior center in 2020, and he graded out as the Rebels’ highest pass-blocking lineman. Brown had a team-best 83 percent grade as a redshirt sophomore, with a line that also featured Royce Newman, a fourth-round pick of the Green Bay Packers last year.

“Sometimes the talent doesn’t really separate you in the NFL,” Sowell said. “When I was in Tampa trying out, they asked who could long-snap. I raised my hand. I’d never long-snapped in my life. I act like I can do everything. Kind of a fake-it-until-you-make-it kind of deal. 

“I grabbed the ball and long-snapped. For whatever reason, I still knew how to do it. I was always the back-up long snapper in the NFL. Every team. I actually snapped in a game. That’s the kind of stuff to separate yourself, because when it comes to picking the guy on game day, No. 6 and 7 may be the same exact talent, but guess what? No. 6 can long-snap, play guard, play bigs tight end (and) play tackles right and left. This guy can do seven positions. He’s adding value, while No. 7 is a right tackle only.

“I told (Brown), ‘You may do all that and do your best and you may still not make it in the NFL. But when you leave, you have no regrets.’ I’ve seen a lot of good players go home. That’s how hard it is to make it in the league. It’s crazy.”