Omar Brown always seems to be around the football.
The Ravens rookie safety made a name for himself in the preseason with the way he was able to notch turnovers, and he continued to show a play-making ability by picking up a sack Sunday in just his second NFL game.
Brown has caught the attention of his teammates, including future Hall of Fame safety Ed Reed, who has also made a reputation of finding the ball and notching turnovers.
"Everybody on this team knows this guy will be around the football, and that's what you want," Reed said. "He reminds me of myself when I was that age."
The rookie was floored when he was first told about Reed's comments.
"It just feels good to hear him say that," Brown said, laughing. "A Hall of Fame-[hyphen]type guy like that to say that I remind him, I just take it in stride."
Brown, an undrafted safety out of Marshall, was one of the final players cut at the end of training camp. He was then signed to the practice squad after an impressive preseason with the Ravens where he netted five turnovers – two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and an onside kick recovery.
He spent the year on the practice squad before getting moved to the active roster in Week 15 when the Ravens needed to fill a hole on special teams. Brown then earned some defensive playing time in last week's matchup with the Giants. Brown played only five snaps on defense, but he was still able to log a sack .
"It was a good feeling," Brown said. "It was designed for one of the two blitzers to come free, which was me or the corner. [Cornerback] Chykie [Brown] got there and I just came off the edge."
That knack for the football has coaches and teammates taking notice.
"That's what people keep asking me [how I find the football]," Brown said. "I don't know. I just find it. I don't really even know how to explain it."
Reed has an explanation.
"He's a football player," Reed said. "He's a football player. At one point we cut him and brought him back. That hurt me big time, because I know he's a football player. It's not about size in this league. It's about just being a football player. He's that guy."
