London’s football twins join NFL ranks

Sydney and Chase Brown, who played their youth football in London, were both selected in the 2023 NFL Draft this weekend. University of Illinois grads, Sydney went in the 2nd round Friday, Chase in the 5th Saturday.

(Photo: University of Illinois).

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A storied football journey continues for London-born twins Chase and Sydney Brown, as the pair of University of Illinois stars were selected in the 2023 NFL Draft this weekend.

Sydney, a defensive back, was chosen by the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round (66th overall) Friday night, while Chase, a running back, was taken Saturday in the fifth round (163rd) by the Cincinnati Bengals.

Both players had career years in 2022. Sydney was a first-team All-Big Ten following a season in which he had 59 tackles and six interception, the latter ranking third most in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FSB) – formerly known as Division I-A.

Chase, meanwhile, rushed for 1,643 yards, good for fourth most in the NCAA’s top division. He was named winner of this year’s Jon Cornish Trophy as Canada’s top NCAA player.

Chase Brown eludes Penn State defenders. (Photo: Samantha Kaye Anderson / University of Illinois).

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The pair got their start in the Forest City, playing in the London Minor Football Association (LMFA). They attended Westmount public school and then South Collegiate Institute for high school, where they continued to shine on the football field.

Their mother, Raechel Brown, made the tough decision to let the brothers play their final two years of high school football at Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School in Bradenton, Florida, which helped further their ambitions to pursue the game at the highest levels. They lived with a billet family for two years and then both received scholarship offers to play college football.

Sydney joined Illinois immediately, while Chase played his first season at Western Michigan University before transferring to Illinois the following year.

In March, the brothers impressed at the annual NFL Draft Combine. Chase led all running backs with a 40-inch vertical, a broad jump of 10 feet, 7 inches, and 25 bench press reps. He also had the fifth-fastest 40-yard dash time (4.43s).

Sydney, meanwhile, was a force among defensive players. He scored in the top four among safeties in each category, including a 4.47-second 40-yard dash, a 10-foot, 10-inch broad jump, a 40.5-inch vertical, and 23 reps on the bench.

Now, they’ve joined the NFL ranks – and both brothers have the potential to enjoy promising pro careers.