Barion Brown

COLLEGE CAREER –  Saints' sixth-round pick out of LSU ranks statistically as one of the top special teams playmakers in college football history. Brown finished his career second in NCAA history with six kickoffs returned for touchdowns (Southeastern Conference record), one shy of the NCAA record. In the return game throughout his college career at Kentucky (2022-24) and LSU (2025), he returned 65 kickoffs for 1,910 yards (29.4 avg.) with six touchdowns and 11 punt returns for 85 yards. On offense, the Nashville, Tenn. native played in 50 games with 36 starts and recorded 175 catches for 2,060 yards with 12 touchdowns and rushed 32 times for 228 yards with two TDs.

COLLEGE CAREER –  Saints' sixth-round pick out of LSU ranks statistically as one of the top special teams playmakers in college football history. Brown finished his career second in NCAA history with six kickoffs returned for touchdowns (Southeastern Conference record), one shy of the NCAA record. In the return game throughout his college career at Kentucky (2022-24) and LSU (2025), he returned 65 kickoffs for 1,910 yards (29.4 avg.) with six touchdowns and 11 punt returns for 85 yards. On offense, the Nashville, Tenn. native played in 50 games with 36 starts and recorded 175 catches for 2,060 yards with 12 touchdowns and rushed 32 times for 228 yards with two TDs.

2025 – Appeared in 13 games with nine starts. Led LSU in receptions (53) and receiving yards (532) with one TD reception and added three runs for 33 yards. Returned 15 kickoffs for 445 yards (29.7 avg.) with a 99-yard TD…Tied his career-best with eight catches for 94 yards in his Tiger Stadium debut vs. Louisiana Tech in Week Two…Caught first LSU TD against Southeastern Louisiana in Week Four…Had 5 catches in 6 games – at Clemson (25 yards), vs. SLU (54 yards), at Ole Miss (40 yards), at Vanderbilt (40 yards), at Alabama (44 yards) and vs. Western Kentucky (37 yards)…Had a 37-yard reception and returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown in Texas Bowl against Houston. 2024 – Named first-team All-Southeastern Conference as a return specialist by the conference coaches and the College Football Network and the SEC Kick Returner of the Year by the CFN…Second-team All-SEC as an all-purpose player by both the Associated Press and league coaches…Started 9-of-11 games played in 2024. Second on the team in receptions (29), receiving yards (361) and receiving TDs (three). Had 18 kick returns for 449 yards, averaging 24.9 yards per return. Departed KU as record-holder in kickoff returns for a TD in career (five) and single season (three in 2023). Also KU record-holder for kickoff return average for career (30.3) and season (36.0)…Recorded fifth-career kickoff return for a TD, a second quarter 99-yard runback at Florida…Notched 100th career catch vs. Georgia, becoming 20th player in KU history with at least 100 receptions. Tied for fourth-fastest player in KU history to reach 100 catches (29 games)…At Florida, caught two passes, including a 45-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter, for a team-high 56 yards. Became the first player in Kentucky history to have two games featuring a kickoff return TD and a touchdown catch of at least 45 yards. Since 1976, became one of two FBS players with at least 11 career receiving TDs and five kickoff return TDs prior to his senior season (also Tyron Carrier of Houston, 2008-10)…Had five catches for 88 yards, including a 63-yarder on 4th-and-7 from the UK 20-yard line to set up Kentucky's game-winning touchdown at No. 5 Ole Miss…Opened season with two TD receptions vs. Southern Miss…Scored on a 23-yard run vs. Ohio. 2023 – Started 12-of-13 games for the Wildcats, earning second-team All-SEC honors as a return specialist from both conference coaches and AP. Named first-team All-America by Sporting News. Led team with 43 receptions for 539 yards and four TDs. Rushed 12 times for 147 yards and a TD. Finished season with 16 kickoff returns for 576 yards. Led nation in kickoff return average (36.0) and kickoff returns for touchdowns (three). The three kickoff returns for TDs tied the SEC single-season record…SEC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance vs. Ball State in the season-opener when he returned a kickoff 99 yards for a TD…Named the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl Most Valuable Player and named to the All-Bowl team by the AP after totaling three receptions for 100 yards, including a 60-yard touchdown reception. Added two carries for 26 yards and a 22-yard touchdown rushing (the first of his career) and a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown on the first play of second half, his third TD return of the season and the fourth of career. His kickoff return for a TD, which was credited as 102 yards according to the Bowl's stat crew, is the longest in TaxSlayer Gator Bowl history, a record previously held by Andre Debose of Florida (99 yards) against Ohio State on Jan. 2, 2012. Became the second player in Kentucky to have a rushing, receiving and kickoff return for a touchdown in same game. Also marked first game of career with both receiving and rushing TD…Named SEC Co-Special Teams Player of the Week after returning a kickoff 100 yards for a TD in third quarter against No. 9 Louisville. Also caught two passes for 48 yards, including a crucial 23-yard catch that set up Ray Davis' game-winning touchdown run. Had a career-high 250 all-purpose yards on the day, 180 on kickoff returns, 48 receiving and 22 rushing…Had two 100+ yard games (100 vs. Clemson and 105 vs. Vanderbilt). 2022 – One of the nation's top true freshman at Kentucky…Played in all 13 games with seven starts. Earned True Freshman All-American (On3). Freshman All-SEC (conference coaches and AP), SEC Freshman of the Week twice and SEC Special Teams Player of the Week once. Ranked fifth nationally (and No. 3 in the SEC) in kickoff return average (27.5). Led team in receptions (50) and receiving yards (628). Averaged 12.6 yards per catch and tallied four TD receptions. Concluded the season as the school's freshman record holder for most receiving yards in a season with 628 and most pass receptions in a season with 50. His four TDs receiving are the second-most by a freshman in program history…Caught ten passes for 145 yards (14.5 avg.), season-highs in both categories, vs. No. 1 Georgia. Also caught UK's lone TD, a fourth quarter eight-yard aerial. The ten receptions were the most by a KU freshman since 2000. 145 yards second-most by a freshman in program history…Caught seven passes for 62 yards in win over Mississippi State…Accounted for 245 all-purpose yards with only five touches at Ole Miss. Caught two passes for 81 yards (40.5 avg.), including a 51-yard catch-and-run that put UK in scoring position on the last possession. Also had three kickoff returns for 164 yards (54.7 avg.). 164 kickoff return yards set a single-game freshman record. In the first quarter, he set up a touchdown with an 85-yard kickoff return. Earned SEC co-Freshman of the Week…Caught four passes for 102 yards and his first two UK receiving TDs in first career start vs. Northern Illinois. Had a third quarter 70-yard catch-and-run for a TD. Named SEC co-Freshman of the Week, Sept. 26. Just the second UK freshman with 100 yards and two receiving touchdowns in same game…Named SEC Special Teams Player of the Week, Sept. 5 after scoring his first career touchdown on a 100-yard kickoff return out of halftime in collegiate debut vs. Miami (Ohio).

PERSONAL – Five-star prospect who ranked as high as the No. 2 wide receiver nationally and No. 2 prospect in Tennessee by On3…An all-around athlete who played several positions for head coach Tony Brunetti at Pearl-Cohn (Nashville, Tenn.) HS, including QB, RB, WR, DB and KR during senior season…Earned the Tennessee Titans Class 4A Mr. Football Award…Finished senior year with 897 rushing yards and 10 TDs on 59 carries (15.2 avg.). Also caught 22 passes for 303 yards and three TDs. Defensively, had 24 tackles with two stops for loss…Helped lead the Firebirds to an 11-2 overall record with a second-place finish in Class 4A Region 5…Selected to the All-American Bowl's East roster…Excelled on track & field team as a back-to-back Tennessee state champion in 100- and 200-meter dash and is school recordholder in both events…10.49 second time in 100-meters in 2021 is third-fastest TSSAA state meet time since 1985, in any school classification…School's Track Player of the Year…Nickname is "B7"…First name pronounced "BEAR-ee-ON."