Let’s all say “welcome” to Hollywood.
The Arizona Cardinals picked up a proven product in Marquise “Hollywood” Brown during the first round of the NFL Draft as the rest of the league seemed to speculate about the future.
A record six wide receivers were selected in Thursday’s first 18 picks, prompting Cardinals general manager Steve Keim to do what he does best and trade for a guy who can contribute immediately. It doesn’t hurt that Brown was Kyler Murray’s favorite target since his college days in Oklahoma.
“Let’s run it again!” Murray tweeted after the trade was confirmed on Thursday. “Hollywood to the desert… Everyone, welcome, boy!”
Read more: Cardinals trade for WR Brown thrills fans at draft party
The humble young man with the catchy nickname was all smiles Friday afternoon at Dignity Health Arizona Cardinals Training Center in Tempe.
“I’m very excited,” Brown said. “Very happy about that.”
‘It’s my job to open up’
There will be plenty of time to debate whether the Cardinals should have gone after a running back or a coverage corner with what would have been the 23rd pick. There will be time to play salary-cap guru to guess if the Cardinals will be able to afford Brown and Murray and any other players who owe big raises. And there will be opportunities to debate whether coach Kliff Kingsbury knows how to deploy Brown in a high-flying offense that doesn’t collapse midway through the season.
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For now, just know that the Cardinals are a better team with Brown on the roster, and that he has a reputation as a tireless worker who spends time poring over movies to find new techniques and details to add to his repertoire.
“I’ve been a student of the game for a while,” Brown said.
He opens with his head.
“If I know and my quarterback knows what the defense is on, then it’s my job to open up,” he said.
It opens with the legs.
“A lot of time, I’m pretty quick and I can get behind the defense, that’s what I’m good at,” he said.
And he makes big plays with the best.
In three seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, Brown had 11 touchdowns of 20 yards or more, which tied him for third in the NFL. He also had seven touchdowns of 40 yards or more, good for seventh since 2019.
‘We kill it every day’
Brown should have immediate chemistry in Arizona with Murray; they were scouting partners along with the Sooners.
“Kyler and I got together and neither of us started,” Brown said. “We worked together in the B Squad, beating the starting defense in Oklahoma.”
Related: Did the Cardinals win the 2022 NFL draft trade with the Ravens?
Brown and Murray were not content to bide their time or bide their time. They went to great lengths to bring a competitive intensity to practice that helped the Sooners finish the 2017 season with a Big 12 championship and a No. 2 ranking.
“We killed him,” Brown said. “We kill him every day. We used to talk trash (to headlines)… We used to. We made it a point every day, just to kill it every day.”
That advantage held “even when we were both playing,” Brown said.
Brown was Oklahoma’s top receiver the year Murray won the Heisman Trophy in 2018. Brown led the Sooners with 75 receptions and 1,300-plus receiving yards. He also led the nation in big plays, with 11 catches of 40 yards or more, including seven that went for 50+ yards and four that went for 60+.
“I’m excited,” Brown said of the prospect of meeting Murray in an offensive system that is very similar to the one they used during their days in Norman, Oklahoma.
However, that nickname could be a problem.
Reactions: Cardinals’ NFL draft trade for Ravens’ Marquise Brown gets mixed reviews
Generally speaking, sports fans in Arizona don’t need anything Los Angeles-related, especially the Rams after last year’s NFL playoffs.
The good news is that Brown’s nickname can be traced back to his roots in Hollywood, Florida, a working-class town north of Miami in the football factory known as Broward County.
“Pop Warner is big in South Florida,” Brown said. “I played against Lamar Jackson since we were 8 years old. We have a lot of guys (in the NFL now).”
The nickname, he said, “It’s just simple, for my hometown… I’m named after my city. And I will continue to do so.”
Suspense:Cardinals fans at the draft party over the moon over the Brown trade
So when you get the chance to say “welcome” to Hollywood this fall at State Farm Stadium, know that you’re not the only name you’ll answer to.
“You can call me ‘Hollywood.’ You can call me ‘Marquise,’” she said, smiling. “What you want”.
Let’s just call it what it is: eager to be an Arizona Cardinal.
“I’m very excited,” he said.
“I’ve been in an offense where I’ve gotten all the attention,” he said, considering what it will be like to play against perennial All-Pro DeAndre Hopkins.
“I’m excited to get some one-on-one matchups and spread the field.”
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Reference-www.azcentral.com