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The New Orleans Saints drafted LSU wide receiver Barion Brown with the 190th pick of the NFL Draft in the sixth round. Wide receiver has been a need for the Saints all offseason, and they largely addressed that when they took Jordyn Tyson with the 8th overall pick in the first round. However, behind Tyson and Chris Olave, there is not a lot of proven depth.

Brown will compete with fellow draftee Devaughn Vele and Bryce Lance for the third wide receiver spot. However, he is mainly known as a returner. He broke records as a returner at the University of Kentucky in average return yards.

Barion Brown was a contributor for four years in college football when he played for the University of Kentucky and LSU. Across those seasons, he produced 2060 receiving yards, 228 rushing yards, and 14 total touchdowns. He showcased his versatility as a player.

NFL Draft Analysts Viewed Brown as a UDFA

GettyBrown is viewed as a low upside specialist at wide receiver.

PFF ranked Barion Brown as the 376th overall prospect in the NFL Draft, projecting him as an undrafted free agent. In 2025, he received a 66.9 receiving grade and a 56.2 grade against man coverage. They view him as an average receiver based on his metrics.

PFF said, “Brown’s clearest path to an NFL roster is through the return game, where he offers good straight-line speed and extensive experience. As a receiver, he must improve his nuance, tempo and catch consistency to earn a consistent role on offense.”

Dane Brugler of the Athletic ranked Brown as his 37th wide receiver and a graded him as a 7th round to undrafted free agent. Brugler loves Brown’s speed but questions his ability to use that speed effectively when running routes.

Brugler said, “Brown is more specialized than well-rounded as a wide receiver, but his speed and special teams impact can be a differentiating factor in the NFL. He projects as a WR4/5 and kick returner extraordinaire.”

Barion Brown Athletic Profile

GettyBrown has a poor athletic profile outside of his speed.

Brown received a RAS score of 4.83 after participating in the NFL Combine and LSU pro day. While his speed scores were good, he struggled in the other drills and measurements. He ran a 4.4 40 yard dash, 2.6 20 yard split, and 1.58 10 yard split. He’s around 5’11” and weighs between 177 and 186 lbs. His explosion scores were poor for a wide receiver after having a 32” vertical jump and a 9’10” broad jump.