Colonels senior defensive back Tommy Lee Brown turned the heads of everyone, including NFL scouts.Although it is still early in the season, there are reports that NFL scouts are looking at Brown as a possible NFL combine product. In fact, the NFL combine asked Brown to work out once the season is over.

“I didn’t really think about it,” Brown said. “They came to me. With the great coaching and teammates I’ve had here over the years, it’s just the grace of God. Hopefully I can finish the season strong, and we’ll go from there.”

At six-foot-three, Brown can be considered pro material, according to head football coach Jay Thomas.

“He’s what NFL scouts look for,” Thomas said. “In order to get to the next level from our level, you have to dominate, and he’s getting to the point where he’s going to have to dominate. He’s doing a decent job of that so far.”

Recruited out of Amite High School in Hammond, Brown split time between defensive back and wide receiver. Upon being recruited by Nicholls, Brown came in as a cornerback, but he moved to receiver during the 2003 season after a shoulder injury.

Once he arrived at Nicholls, Brown said he wasn’t used to such a small campus. After a while, however, he learned to love it.

“Coming from Hammond to Thibodaux, I was coming from a big town to a small town,” Brown said. “It has its ups and downs, but I learned to love it. I had the chance to do something I love by playing football.”

After being given the chance to play corner again, Brown took advantage of the opportunity. Now Thomas can’t say enough about the decision.

“After we lost Chris Thompson to the draft, we decided to move him back to corner,” Thomas said. “It’s been perfect for us ever since.”

Colonels’ defensive coordinator Charles Kelly said the original decision to move Brown to receiver after his shoulder injury was a coaching decision.

“We just felt he was wearing his body down every time he’d make a big hit,” Kelly said. “We moved him back to receiver. He asked for the chance to play corner again, and since then he’s been doing good things for us.”

Brown said that of the two positions he prefers playing defensive back because of the chance to hit people.

“Moving to the offensive side of the ball was strictly a coaching decision,” Brown said. “Once I got healthy again, the rest was history.”

Despite the thought of being scouted, Brown’s main focus is finishing up the rest of this season and improving his game.

“I feel like I’m having a sub-par season,” Brown said. “There is always room for improvement. The Southland is a bruising conference, and you have to be real head strong to compete. It’s not a playground when it comes to conference play.”

Through five games this season, Brown had seven tackles, five of which were solo with no interceptions. Three of his seven tackles were for a loss.

Although the numbers might not seem impressive, Kelly said that Brown will be fine as long as he stays healthy.

“When Tommy is healthy he is as good as anybody,” Kelly said. “I think he’s capable of doing well as long as he stays healthy.”

Brown credits his family, friends and teammates for supporting him and keeping his head up throughout his career at Nicholls.

Once his season is over, Brown, a computer science major, said he plans to just wait and see what happens with the tryouts.

“If things don’t work out, then I’ll have my degree to fall back on,” Brown said. “If things do end up working out for me, then I’ll try out and play my hardest. It’s a grace by God to have this opportunity, and I hope I can finish the season strong and make it to the next level.”

No matter what happens, Brown wants people to remember him as three things.

“I want to be remembered as a team player, a hard worker and a baller.