With the 93rd overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills selected Northern Iowa offensive tackle Spencer Brown.
Brown amassed 33 starts in the 34 games he played in his time at Northern Iowa. Before the postponement of the 2020 FCS season, he was named a preseason FCS All-American.
Brown sees the Bills as a perfect fit to begin his NFL career. He sees some parallels to his hometown of Lenox, Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa in the Bills.
“I know it’s a hardworking organization, hardworking team, and blue-collar,” Brown said. “That’s what I’m anxious to be a part of, it’s part of my background. I grew up on a farm in Lenox [Iowa], then went to Northern Iowa in a blue-collar city. Being a part of 'Bills Mafia' is perfect for a kid that grew up in a small town in Iowa.”
Bills general manager Brandon Beane projects Brown as a swing tackle. He joins an offensive tackle group that includes Dion Dawkins, Daryl Williams, Bobby Hart and Ryan Bates. Brown is excited to learn from the group.
“I’m just ready to get in the building and learn from the guys that are there and be the best player I can possibly be,” Brown said. “I don’t have it all figured out I’ll be the first to say that. I’m going to go in there and get as much information as a possibly can, get better and compete.”
While Brown couldn’t play in 2020 due to the FCS’s postponement of the 2020 FCS Season, he worked with ex-San Francisco 49ers standout offensive tackle Joe Staley to sharpen his skills. He also revealed he had the chance to play for Power 5 schools, but chose to stay loyal to Northern Iowa.
“I didn’t want to turn my back on UNI,” Brown said. “Loyalty is a big thing for me. I didn’t want to walk away from the guy who gave me [my first scholarship offer]. I love UNI too much and I just didn’t want to do that.”
You can listen to Brown's entire introductory conference call below: