Change of heart
Ocean Lakes football standout Naquan Brown says he’ll join fellow Hampton Roads products with Pittsburgh after previously committing to LSU.
The list of prominent Hampton Roads players headed to Pittsburgh grew on Friday when Ocean Lakes standout Naquan Brown committed to the Panthers.
Brown, a four-star prospect, had committed to LSU on July 1, but decommitted Thursday. One day later, he committed to Pitt.
The Panthers have been successful getting players from Hampton Roads because of assistant coach Chris Beatty, a former head coach at Salem and Landstown high schools.
With the addition of Brown, Beatty has now landed three of the top five players from the Class of 2021 in Hampton Roads and four of the top 10.
Brown, who was rated No. 2 in the Class of 2021 in Hampton Roads, joins Lake Taylor running back Malik Newton, who was No. 4, Booker T. Washington running back Rodney Hammond, who was No. 5, and Ocean Lakes wide receiver Myles Alston, who was No. 9.
Brown, 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds, was rated the No. 4 prospect in Virginia by ESPN, No. 5 by Rivals and No. 11 by 247Sports.
College coaches love
Brown because of his ability to get to the quarterback. But many agree he could bulk up and move to linebacker at the next level.
One college coach said, “He has speed to come off the edge and brings intensity and competitiveness.” Another said. “He’s got the ability to beat people upfield. He’s loose, so he can put three steps together and get a tackle off-balanced. ... He also has long arms, so he never uses his hands to create space and rush the quarterback.”
Dolphins coach Joe Jones said no one knew about Brown as a sophomore, but by his junior year, everyone knew who he was as he drew double- and sometimes triple-team coverage, “but he was still able to cause havoc.”
He led the Dolphins in sacks the past two seasons with 12 and seven.