Shakur Brown, Naquan Jones Sign as Undrafted Free Agents Following 2021 NFL Draft
5/2/2021 10:49:00 AM | Football
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State cornerback Shakur Brown and defensive tackle Naquan Jones signed as undrafted free agents following the 2021 NFL Draft.
Brown is headed to the Pittsburgh Steelers, while Jones is going to the Tennessee Titans.
SHAKUR BROWN | Career Bio (PDF)
A product of Stockbridge, Georgia, Brown earned first-team All-Big Ten honors by the coaches and second-team All-America accolades by the Walter Camp Football Foundation as a redshirt junior in 2020.
Brown led the FBS in interceptions per game (five in seven games; 0.71 pg) last season and ranked tied for third in the FBS with five total interceptions. He was consistently rated one of the top cornerbacks in the nation by Pro Football Focus, week in and week out, and was named a third-team All-American and first-team All-Big Ten honoree by the website in December. Brown started all seven games for the Spartans, including two at nickelback at the beginning of the season before moving to cornerback for the final five games.
Brown also had a team-high four pass break-ups in 2020 to rank tied for second in the Big Ten in passes defended (nine total: five interceptions, four pass break-ups) in addition to a career-high 25 tackles.
With two picks for 30 yards against No. 10 Indiana, Brown became the first Spartan to record two interceptions in the same game since David Dowell in 2017 vs. Penn State, and he followed that effort with another two picks vs. No. 8 Northwestern for 54 return yards. He also had a 23-yard interception return in the season opener against Rutgers. Brown finished with a career-high 107 interception return yards, ninth most in an MSU season and second most in the Big Ten in 2020.
Brown had two pass break-ups each in back-to-back games against No. 13 Michigan and Iowa, and recorded a season-high six tackles vs. No. 10 Indiana. He had five tackles apiece vs. Rutgers and fourth-ranked Ohio State.
Brown had seven career interceptions in 26 career games with the Spartans, including 12 starts (five at cornerback in 2019; two at nickelback and five at cornerback in 2020), and his 186 career interception yards rank eighth most in MSU history. He also had 54 career tackles, including two sacks, and nine pass break-ups. Brown declared for the NFL Draft on Dec. 14.
As a sophomore in 2019, Brown played in seven games overall and started the last five games at cornerback. He missed six games due to injury (Western Michigan, Arizona State, Northwestern, Indiana, Ohio State, Wisconsin) before returning to action in Penn State game, and played a total of 359 snaps. Brown was credited with 23 tackles in 2019 (15 solo, eight assists), including two sacks for 18 yards, and also had five pass break-ups and one interception (vs. Illinois).
Following a redshirt year in 2017, Brown played in 12 games to earn his first letter in 2018. He tallied six tackles and had one interception, where he returned it 69 yards for a touchdown at Indiana.
NAQUAN JONES | Career Bio (PDF)
Jones recorded 24 tackles with a career-high 5.0 tackles for loss (7 yards) in his fifth year on the Spartan roster in 2020, playing a total of 314 snaps in all seven games, including four starts. He tied his career high with six tackles and had a career-best 2.5 tackles for loss in the win over No. 8 Northwestern on Nov. 28 in Spartan Stadium, and also registered TFLs against Rutgers and No. 4 Ohio State.
A four-year letterwinner from 2017-20, Jones had 78 tackles, including 12.5 for losses (44 yards) and 3.0 sacks (20 yards), with three pass break-ups, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery, in 46 career games, making five career starts (one in 2019, four in 2020). Following the 2020 season, he competed in the 2021 Hula Bowl All-Star Game on Jan. 31 in Hawai'i.
As a redshirt junior in 2019, Jones compiled 15 tackles and played a total of 257 snaps in 13 games.
A native of Evanston, Illinois, Jones recorded a career-high 26 tackles in 13 games as a redshirt sophomore in 2018, including 4.5 TFLs and two sacks. He helped Michigan State rank No. 1 in the FBS in rushing defense (77.9 ypg) that season while playing a total of 295 snaps at defensive tackle.
Jones first saw action wearing the Green and White as a redshirt freshman in 2017. He tallied 13 tackles, including two TFLs and one pass break-up, in 247 snaps over the course of 13 games.
A consensus four-star recruit, Jones was rated one of the nation's top defensive line prospects coming out of Evanston Township High School in 2016.
Jones graduated from Michigan State University in December 2020 with a bachelor's degree in advertising management.
Brown is headed to the Pittsburgh Steelers, while Jones is going to the Tennessee Titans.
Signed ✍️@shackspeare29 is going to The Steel City! #SteelersNation #GoGreen | @steelers pic.twitter.com/xoYkugehbj
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) May 1, 2021
SHAKUR BROWN | Career Bio (PDF)
A product of Stockbridge, Georgia, Brown earned first-team All-Big Ten honors by the coaches and second-team All-America accolades by the Walter Camp Football Foundation as a redshirt junior in 2020.
Brown led the FBS in interceptions per game (five in seven games; 0.71 pg) last season and ranked tied for third in the FBS with five total interceptions. He was consistently rated one of the top cornerbacks in the nation by Pro Football Focus, week in and week out, and was named a third-team All-American and first-team All-Big Ten honoree by the website in December. Brown started all seven games for the Spartans, including two at nickelback at the beginning of the season before moving to cornerback for the final five games.
Brown also had a team-high four pass break-ups in 2020 to rank tied for second in the Big Ten in passes defended (nine total: five interceptions, four pass break-ups) in addition to a career-high 25 tackles.
With two picks for 30 yards against No. 10 Indiana, Brown became the first Spartan to record two interceptions in the same game since David Dowell in 2017 vs. Penn State, and he followed that effort with another two picks vs. No. 8 Northwestern for 54 return yards. He also had a 23-yard interception return in the season opener against Rutgers. Brown finished with a career-high 107 interception return yards, ninth most in an MSU season and second most in the Big Ten in 2020.
Brown had two pass break-ups each in back-to-back games against No. 13 Michigan and Iowa, and recorded a season-high six tackles vs. No. 10 Indiana. He had five tackles apiece vs. Rutgers and fourth-ranked Ohio State.
Brown had seven career interceptions in 26 career games with the Spartans, including 12 starts (five at cornerback in 2019; two at nickelback and five at cornerback in 2020), and his 186 career interception yards rank eighth most in MSU history. He also had 54 career tackles, including two sacks, and nine pass break-ups. Brown declared for the NFL Draft on Dec. 14.
As a sophomore in 2019, Brown played in seven games overall and started the last five games at cornerback. He missed six games due to injury (Western Michigan, Arizona State, Northwestern, Indiana, Ohio State, Wisconsin) before returning to action in Penn State game, and played a total of 359 snaps. Brown was credited with 23 tackles in 2019 (15 solo, eight assists), including two sacks for 18 yards, and also had five pass break-ups and one interception (vs. Illinois).
Following a redshirt year in 2017, Brown played in 12 games to earn his first letter in 2018. He tallied six tackles and had one interception, where he returned it 69 yards for a touchdown at Indiana.
Signed ✍️@thealmightynay is going to the music city! 🎸 #GoGreen | @Titans pic.twitter.com/H2LxtGDEBc
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) May 1, 2021
NAQUAN JONES | Career Bio (PDF)
Jones recorded 24 tackles with a career-high 5.0 tackles for loss (7 yards) in his fifth year on the Spartan roster in 2020, playing a total of 314 snaps in all seven games, including four starts. He tied his career high with six tackles and had a career-best 2.5 tackles for loss in the win over No. 8 Northwestern on Nov. 28 in Spartan Stadium, and also registered TFLs against Rutgers and No. 4 Ohio State.
A four-year letterwinner from 2017-20, Jones had 78 tackles, including 12.5 for losses (44 yards) and 3.0 sacks (20 yards), with three pass break-ups, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery, in 46 career games, making five career starts (one in 2019, four in 2020). Following the 2020 season, he competed in the 2021 Hula Bowl All-Star Game on Jan. 31 in Hawai'i.
As a redshirt junior in 2019, Jones compiled 15 tackles and played a total of 257 snaps in 13 games.
A native of Evanston, Illinois, Jones recorded a career-high 26 tackles in 13 games as a redshirt sophomore in 2018, including 4.5 TFLs and two sacks. He helped Michigan State rank No. 1 in the FBS in rushing defense (77.9 ypg) that season while playing a total of 295 snaps at defensive tackle.
Jones first saw action wearing the Green and White as a redshirt freshman in 2017. He tallied 13 tackles, including two TFLs and one pass break-up, in 247 snaps over the course of 13 games.
A consensus four-star recruit, Jones was rated one of the nation's top defensive line prospects coming out of Evanston Township High School in 2016.
Jones graduated from Michigan State University in December 2020 with a bachelor's degree in advertising management.
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