He played college football for the Kansas State Wildcats, earning All-American honors.

He was also a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Jets, Seattle Seahawks, and San Antonio Commanders.

Brown registered 154 tackles (111 solo) and 7 sacks as a sophomore starter at linebacker in 2005, but also rushed for 462 yards at fullback.

[3] Primarily because of the Brown brothers, ESPNU nationally televised a matchup between East and Dodge City High School on September 7, 2007.

In September 2007, Brown announced that the schools he planned to visit were Alabama, Louisiana State, North Carolina, Miami (FL), and Southern California.

[8] Brown was down to Louisiana State, North Carolina, Miami (FL), Southern California, and Florida, but with no clear front runner, when he held a press conference on December 17 at the Kansas Hall of Fame to announce his decision.

Sports alleging that student-athletes, coaches and administrators were aware and received impermissible benefits from ex-booster and convicted felon Nevin Shapiro.

Brown also contributed some key plays during the Wildcats 10–2 season, one such play included getting an interception off Heisman winning quarterback Robert Griffin III to set up game-winning field goal as the Wildcats beat #15 Baylor Bears.

[19] He is compared to Daryl Washington, because "neither linebacker has the ideal size for their position, but they compensate with sideline-to-sideline speed".

[20] In the 2013 NFL Draft, the Baltimore Ravens picked Brown after their star middle linebacker Ray Lewis retired.

His uncle Lawrence Pete is a former Detroit Lions player,[3] while his younger brother Bryce is a former NFL running back.