Penn State Football: 30 greatest players of all-time

Courtney Brown was one of those defensive ends that does not come around too often in college football, as he was able to take over a game at any time. During his time with Penn State, Brown teamed with LaVar Arrington to give the Nittany Lions a devastating tandem on the defensive side of the ball. They ended up being the first and second overall picks in the 2000 NFL Draft.

Brown was actually picked ahead of Arrington by the Cleveland Browns, but unfortunately, is considered one of the biggest draft busts in NFL history. He played for the Browns from 2000 to 2004 and then for the Denver Broncos in 2005 and 2006, but never had the kind of success that he did when he was terrorizing quarterbacks in the Big Ten.

The standout edge rusher had a magical 1999 season for Penn State, as he was not only named the conference lineman of the year, but also the Defensive Player of the Year. The Most Valuable Player of the 1999 Outback Bowl, Brown left Penn State with the NCAA record for sacks in a career with 33, as well as tackles for a loss with 70. He was an All-American selection in 1999.

Brown was named a First-Team All-Big Ten selection twice during his college career, in both 1998 and 1999, and was a finalist for the Chuck Bednarik (won by Arrington) and Bronco Nagurski Awards.

His NFL career was filled with disappointment, but this list is about what the player did during their time in State College. In Brown, the Nittany Lions had one of the most dominant pass rushers in Big Ten history.