Amon-Ra St. Brown arrived to USC with plenty of five-star fanfare. His leap to the NFL did not bring the same buzz, but he changed that with one professional season.
After a slow start, St. Brown finished his rookie campaign with emphasis, recording consecutive 100-plus-yard games in Weeks 17 and 18, and scoring a touchdown in each of his final four contests. St. Brown began his ascension with a game-winning touchdown reception in Week 13, hauling in an 11-yard pass from Jared Goff as time expired to give the Lions their first win in a difficult 2021 season, and the rookie took off from there.
He's ready to pick up where he left off entering 2022 and isn't wasting time listening to doubters.
"I don't really have anything to say about the people who may feel like my rookie season was a fluke," St. Brown told ESPN. "All I can do is try to prove them wrong. For me, I'm not really worried about other people. I'm worried about myself, the team and what I know I can do. As a receiver, there's so many little things that you can do. A lot of drills, getting in and out of your breaks, catching the ball, working my releases off press, getting stronger, working on your balance. I'm not gonna stop what I do now."
St. Brown's story has been told well before he reached the NFL. As a five-star prospect first at Servite High School and later at the renowned Mater Dei High School in southern California, he drew significant attention as early as his sophomore season with the Monarchs. He ended up going to nearby USC, but didn't draw the same hype while playing with a Trojans team that struggled in his final years in Los Angeles.
St. Brown didn't light up the pre-draft measurables, leading to his fourth-round selection. But anyone who knows the tale of the St. Browns -- a family that features the three sons (Equanimeous, Osiris and Amon-Ra) of Mr. Universe winner John Brown -- knows the family is filled with extreme workers. St. Brown just needed an opportunity in the NFL to make his mark and found a perfect one in Detroit.
Entering his second season, St. Brown will no longer fly under the radar. Teams won't overlook the receiver who led Detroit with 90 catches, 912 yards and five touchdowns last season. That's no issue to St. Brown, who's used to being in the spotlight. With his feet under him, he's ready to build on his strong finish to his rookie season.
"Coming in, you don't really know what to expect in the NFL," St. Brown said. "Being a rookie, you're new. You're just trying to make the team coming out of camp. Then after you make the team, you want to figure out how to get on the field and make plays and then once you make plays, you want to figure out how to keep making those plays and be a consistent player for your team.
"So, for me, that process of going from the start to the end, was a steady upward climb for me, but now, for me, it's starting to become a leader. I want to help the younger guys moving forward, with those that we draft. I feel like we've got a really young team with a lot of young talented players. I feel like we've got a shot to do something if we can just all come together and be one and really have each other's back, we'll be pretty good moving forward."
