Former South Carolina football speedster gets new NFL opportunity

The NFL season is heading into its fourth weekend, but a South Carolina football alum is getting a new opportunity in the league.

On Thursday, the Buffalo Bills announced that they had signed former Gamecock wide receiver, kick returner, and punt returner Ahmarean Brown. Brown will be assigned to the organization's practice squad but could have an opportunity to earn his way onto the 53-man roster thanks to his elite speed and ability to help the Bills on special teams.

Brown was a surprise cut from the Cleveland Browns after the NFL preseason despite having a good showing for the team as an undrafted free agent. Brown didn't get a ton of run at receiver during preseason games but seemed to be a major special teams piece who impressed plenty of media in Cleveland during training camp and preseason practices.

With the Buffalo Bills, Ahmarean Brown will fill the practice squad spot held during the offseason by fellow diminutive South Carolina football alum Damiere Byrd. Byrd and Brown are very similar players as the small, speed-first receivers are deep threats in the passing game, jet sweep options on the ground, and potential special teams contributors as returners or coverage players. Brown will take that skillset and fight for a role on a Bills team that doesn't have a lot of established talent at the wide receiver position but that has a good returner in place in Brandon Codrington.

During his South Carolina football career, Ahmarean Brown battled a variety of minor injuries but still managed to catch 60 passes for 557 yards while scoring a pair of touchdowns during three seasons in a Gamecock uniform. He also was an important special teams contributor, both as a returner (primarily on punts) and as a coverage player on punts and kickoffs.