NOTEBOOK
Brown not fan of Philadelphia
Former OSU receiver ready to leave hometown behind
2/22/2014INDIANAPOLIS — For former Ohio State receiver Corey "Philly" Brown, there is no looking back at this week’s NFL scouting combine.
Not at the misplay that detoured momentum late in the Buckeyes’ Orange Bowl loss to Clemson. And not to the hometown to which he is fiercely loyal but ready to leave behind.
"[Philadelphia] means so much to me," said Brown, whose combine gear reads, "P. Brown." "I've been through so much there. [But] it's not a good city. I hope to never go back after this."
That is, unless the Eagles draft him. Brown met with his favorite NFL team this week and said a team executive told him, "It's only right that we get you since your name is Philly."
In any case, the Buckeyes’ man of contradictions hopes to set off on a productive NFL career. The 5-foot-11, 180-pound burner said he plans to run a high-4.3-second or low-4.4-second time in the 40-yard dash here this week.
"And I only plan to run it once," he said.
Brown, a potential mid to late-round pick who had 63 catches for 771 yards and 10 touchdowns last season, said he quickly moved past the Buckeyes’ bitter finish to another otherwise strong year. Asked how many times he had replayed in his mind his muffed punt against Clemson — a play that set in motion the Tigers’ late comeback — he replied, "Not once."
"It was tough, especially to go out like that for your last game," Brown said. "But we had a good run. College is college, and now it’s time to move on."
That includes from his hometown. When a reporter joked that he may not be welcome back to Philly, Brown laughed and said, "I don't want to go back."
"It's not a place where you want to raise a family," said Brown, who did not elaborate. "Not right now at least. Besides, I want to go somewhere hot."
Like, say, Cleveland. Brown said the Browns have expressed interest in him, and he is ready to help the cause. What would Cleveland’s offense look like with him paired opposite star receiver Josh Gordon?
"Super Bowl," Brown said with a smile.
PROSPECTS FLEX MUSCLES: Former Ohio State offensive linemen Jack Mewhort and Corey Linsley and Michigan’s Taylor Lewan all showed well in the combine’s strongman testing on Friday.
Mewhort, a St. John’s Jesuit graduate, bench-pressed 225 pounds 28 times, while Linsley put up 36 repetitions — second among lineman behind only North Carolina’s Russell Bodine (42). Lewan turned in 29 reps.
The three surpassed the 10-year testing averages at their position — Mewhort and Lewan at tackle (25.0) and Linsley at center (27.7).
DIFFERENT PATHS: Minnesota general manager Rick Spielman said he will take into account the lineage of Texas A&M left tackle and likely top-five pick Jake Matthews — the son of Hall of Fame lineman Bruce Matthews.
Then again, he said, "Me and brother [Chris] had bloodlines too. I was a little bit more stiff than him. That’s why I’m doing what I’m doing and he was a great player."
Chris Spielman was a two-time All-American linebacker at OSU and remains the Lions’ all-time leading tackler.
EXTRA POINTS: Seahawks coach Pete Carroll briefly reminisced about his one year as an Ohio State assistant under Earle Bruce in 1979. "We had a great season," he said. "I came in right after Woody [Hayes] had duked the guy out in the Gator Bowl. It's funny how your opportunities come along." The Buckeyes won their first 11 games that year before their national title dreams ended with a 17-16 loss to Southern California in the Rose Bowl. Carroll left soon after to become defensive coordinator at North Carolina State. ... Michigan’s Lewan’s tough-guy persona is hardly innate. "When I was in third grade, I was a cornerback, and the next year I quit football because I hated being hit," he said, laughing. "I was nervous." ... Asked about the best cornerbacks he faced last year, Wisconsin receiver Jared Abbrederis first mentioned Ohio State’s Bradley Roby. "We had a couple good battles that game," he said, "but I was still able to have a pretty good game." Abbrederis, a projected mid-round selection, had 10 catches for a career-high 207 yards in the Buckeyes’ 31-24 win over UW. ... Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel said he would embrace the cold weather in Cleveland, which is eyeing the former Heisman Trophy winner with the fourth pick. "It's football," he said. "It's a man's game. It's played in the snow."
Contact David Briggs at: dbriggs@theblade.com, 419-724-6084 or on Twitter @DBriggsBlade.