ANNAPOLIS - The player teammates call "Baby Ed Reed" continues to do exactly what earned him that nickname around this time last year: Showcasing a knack for being around the football.
Brown doesn't have great size at 5-foot-11 and 195 pounds.
He doesn't great speed (He ran just a 4.73 in the 40-yard dash coming out of college).
But, like he did during training camp and the preseason last year, the reserve safety continues to make plays through the early part of this year's training camp, and teammates and coaches continue to rave about his playmaking ability at the safety position.
"That boy is "Baby Ed Reed." Legit," Ravens wide receiver Tandon Doss said of Brown. "That boy's a ballhawk. Wherever the ball is, he's right there. We've seen it since last year. The boy knows his stuff. Everything is based on opportunity, but he's going to be a beast when he gets a chance."
Brown signed with Baltimore as an undrafted free agent last year.
He had 288 tackles, nine interceptions and 29 pass deflections during his college career at Marshall, including 113 tackles and four interceptions as a senior in 2011, but he went undrafted largely because of a lack of ideal measurables for an NFL safety.
But Brown impressed teammates and coaches with his knack for being around the football during training camp last year, had an interception and three fumble recoveries during the preseason (and also recovered an onside kick), and he had a sack during the first regular season game he was active for.
Now, during training camp this year, Brown continues to show that knack for being around the football. He had two interceptions during one practice last week, and Sunday's open practice at the Naval Academy ended on a Brown interception in the end zone.
"Omar's just being Omar," Ravens cornerback Corey Graham said. "He did that last year. He's just a ball magnet. He always gets to the ball. He always makes plays. And he just needs to continue to do that."
Safety James Ihedigbo said something similar.
"He's a ballhawk," Ihedigbo said of Brown. "From last year to this year, he's always around the ball. He's a smart guy and makes plays. I mean, what more could you want in a safety? He's a great young player, and he's continuing to do great things here."
Michael Huff appears locked in as the Ravens' starter at free safety and Ihedigbo and first-round pick Matt Elam are battling for the starting job at strong safety, but Brown appears to be putting himself in a good position to win a backup job.
"Omar's had a really good camp," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. "He's the same guy. He's a made bunch of plays on the ball. He's tackled well. He's in the mix. He's proved it for the second year. He's got lasting power, and that's a good thing."
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