December 20, 2023

Daniel Brown named DI Defensive Player of the Year

Charlotte, NC - Hutchinson's Daniel Brown has been named the 2023 NJCAA DI Football Defensive Player of the Year.

The Blue Dragon Sophomore had an outstanding season, finishing with 51 tackles, 23 tackles for loss (158 yards), and 18 sacks (140 yards). With the numbers that Brown put up, he walks away from the 2023 season leading the nation in Sacks (18), and third in the nation in Tackles For Loss (23). Brown's 18 sacks in a single season are also the second-most sacks in Hutchinson Football program history.

The Hutchinson defense allowed only 11.7 points per game and 244.8 yards. The Blue Dragons are second in the nation in Sacks (58), third in the nation in Defensive Interceptions (20), tenth in the nation in Defensive Touchdowns (3), and twelfth in the nation in tackles (693). Hutch finished the season with an 11-1 record, with their only loss of the season to East Mississippi.

Drew Dallas, Hutchinson Head Coach- "Daniel is the ultimate professional at his job. He has earned everything throughout the process and is an extremely hard worker. His mentality and mindset paired with his skillset and athleticism make him a special player on the defensive side of the ball. Not only was his production elite for us this season but also his leadership on and off the field was special. This was Daniel's first season of playing along the defensive line and he has a bright future ahead of him. He will be fun to watch continue to grow throughout his football career."

Josh Gooch, Hutchinson Athletic Director- "The season Daniel Brown put together was exceptional and against some very good competition. His place in the record books here at Hutchinson Community College are amongst some of the elite players in Blue Dragon history. We look forward to seeing him continue to compete at a high level in the future."

The Kansas City, MO native had offers from major NCAA Division I schools including Illinois, Buffalo, Utah State, Washington State, Old Dominion, Minnesota, Houston, Hawaii, and Coastal Carolina. Brown is continuing his academic and athletic career at the University of Illinois next fall.

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