A.J. Brown vs DK Metcalf: Which of the two former college teammates is better?

The Southeastern Conference (also known as the SEC) produced two great college football products in wide receivers A.J. Brown and DK Metcalf. The two were teammates at the University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss.

They were responsible for terrorizing the likes of SEC teams with great defenses such as the Georgia Bulldogs, the Auburn Tigers, and the Alabama Crimson Tide football programs. They were each taken in the 2019 NFL Draft, with Brown drafted by the Tennessee Titans and Metcalf drafted by the Seattle Seahawks.

With A.J. Brown at 6'0 and 226 pounds and DK Metcalk standing at 6'4 and 235 pounds, both players are physical specimens at that position. A.J. Brown has made a name for himself as a physical wide receiver that gets separation on the field from his ability to shred smaller cornerbacks.

In contrast, DK Metcalf, who ran a 4.33, 40-yard dash time at the 2019 NFL combine, is one of the fastest wide receivers in the league. He has the ability to not only create separation from cornerbacks with his strength but also with his ability to fly past those same cornerbacks.

With so many similarities between the two, which player is considered the best?

Let's take a closer look to see who gets the nod as the better player.

Pound for pound: Is it A.J. Brown or DK Metcalf?

In 2019, A.J. Brown was drafted by the Titans to be the franchise's primary wide receiver that former 2017 first-rounder Corey Davis was not. In his first two seasons, Brown amassed 19 touchdowns and 2,126 yards (not including the playoffs). He was a major part of the Titans making the playoffs in each of those years as well.

The Seattle Seahawks drafted DK Metcalf to simply add to the arsenal for quarterback Russell Wilson. Tyler Lockett, another wide receiver for the Seahawks, had 10 touchdowns and 965 yards the year before Metcalf's arrival.

Wilson and his Seahawks did not lack explosion, as Lockett ran a 4.4, 40-yard dash time at the 2015 NFL Combine. However, they were missing a presence like Metcalf that ran faster than Lockett but could also catch a slant route in traffic and get up unscathed. In his first two seasons, Metcalf has 17 touchdowns for 2,203 yards.

Why DK Metcalf sets himself apart from any other receiver in the league

The statistics are close, so there has to be a tie-breaker and that just might be the play that has defined DK Metcalf's career. During a game between the Seahawks and the Arizona Cardinals, Metcalf tracked down Cardinals safety Budda Baker after an interception from his own endzone. Metcalf ran roughly a distance of about 90 yards to catch Baker before he scored a touchdown.

Ladies and gentlemen, we may have just found our answer.