Ole Miss’ Brown to Take Part in State Farm All-Star Football Challenge

Ole Miss WR A.J. Brown will take part in State Farm All-Star Football Challenge. Photo by Steven Gagliano

Ole Miss’ A.J. Brown will participate in the 2019 State Farm All-Star Football Challenge at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, as announced Friday.

The 21st edition of the All-Star Football Challenge will air Friday, Feb. 1 at 9 p.m. on ESPN2.

The skills competition will feature 24 of college football’s brightest stars divided into six teams based on their college conference. Each team will consist of four players from the same conference, with each Power 5 conference represented as well as a “Wild Card” team made up of players from outside of the Power 5.

Brown, who has declared for the 2019 NFL Draft, re-wrote the receiving record books in his three years at Ole Miss. He stands as the all-time leading receiver in Ole Miss history with 2,984 yards. He had 12 100-yard receiving performances during his career, also a program record.

The Starkville, Mississippi, native earned second-team All-America honors from Football Writers Association of America and Phil Steele in his last year in a Rebel uniform. Brown amassed 1,320 yards in 2018, breaking his own single-season school record of 1,252, set last season. He’s the only player in Ole Miss history with two 1,000-yard seasons to his name. Brown also set the Ole Miss single-season receptions record with 85 catches this year.

Despite playing alongside two other NFL Draft prospects at the receiver position, Brown leads the SEC and ranks sixth in the nation with 110.0 receiving yards per game. He’s also first in the SEC and is 10th in FBS with 7.1 receptions per game.

The SEC team features Brown, Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham, Alabama defensive back Deionte Thompson and Mississippi State defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons. Each player will participate individually in a timed event and then finish with a full-team event.

All events will be timed and have individual winners, which will compile into a cumulative score to determine the winning team. The events include the State Farm QB Accuracy Competition, the Hands Competition, the Quicken Loans Lineman Strength Challenge, the Mercedes-Benz Obstacle Course and the State Farm Team Competition.

Alumni of the All-Star Football Challenge include 75 first-round NFL Draft picks, including 36 Pro Bowlers, such as: Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers, Matt Ryan, Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Ramsey, Derwin James, Landon Collins, Von Miller, Vernon Davis, Joe Flacco, Dez Bryant, Donovan McNabb, Reggie Wayne, and Edgerrin James, as well as three Heisman Trophy winners (Ron Dayne, Troy Smith and Jason White).

Courtesy of Ole Miss Sports