Junior defensive back Anthony Brown has talked to University of Arkansas cornerbacks coach Sam Carter only once, but it was enough to make a big impression.
Carter extended a scholarship offer to Brown during a 45-minute conversation Sunday.
“That’s a great guy, great DB coach. He’s one of a kind, I tell you,” Brown said. “I like him.”
Brown, 6-2, 190 pounds, of Milan, Tenn., has other offers from schools such as Alabama, Tennessee, Oregon, Michigan State, Virginia, Duke and others. He called Carter “different.”
“He kept it real,” Brown said. “He told me what he expected from me, what I would do if I came there. He was just different overall.”
His relationship with coaches will play a big role in his college decision.
“I depend on relationships with coaches and the coach making me feel like I’m home, not just me being there in their program or just playing for them,” Brown said. “I look forward to actually having a relationship with my position coach.”
Brown was a big reason why the Bulldogs went 14-3 this season and were runners-up in Class 3A. He rushed 101 times for 962 yards and 14 touchdowns; completed 20 of 50 passes for 249 yards and 6 touchdowns; and caught 15 passes for 308 yards and 5 touchdowns.
He also had 64 tackles, 9 pass breakups, 8 tackles for loss, a sack, 2 interceptions and 3 forced fumbles.
Milan Coach Carl Diffee, who coached Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson in high school, calls Brown a “great one” and compares him to Razorback safety Jalen Catalon.
“He’s a very intelligent football player, and he works as hard as any kid I’ve ever coached,” Diffee said. “He’s a leader and team player. Doesn’t have an ego and was willing to do whatever we asked him to do for us to be successful.
“He’s got tremendous potential and will be a big-time defensive player at the next level. Reminds me of Catalon. He’ll come down and lay the lumber.”
Brown is no stranger to Fayettevile. He visited the Hogs for the Western Kentucky game in 2019 and liked what he saw.
“Beautiful facilities and beautiful stadium,” said Brown, who also has visited Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, Michigan and others. “It’s one of the best I’ve ever seen.”
He’s looking forward to talking to Carter more and making a return trip to Arkansas.
“I’m going to take a trip up there,” he said. “I’m going to call him up a couple more times and talk it up with him about coming up there for a visit to Arkansas.”
Brown, who has a 3.8 grade-point average, is unsure when he’ll make his college decision, but he plans to narrow his list in a couple of months.
“I’m going to drop my top 10 schools in the middle of March,” he said.
Whatever life throws at him, Brown likely will not face any adversity as difficult as losing his mother, Bridgett, who lost her battle with cancer in March 2017. He said his talks with his mother before her death made him a stronger person.
“She meant everything to me,” Brown said.