Noah Brown has never taken the easy road in the NFL. Drafted in the seventh round, he carved out a career across multiple franchises, pushed through injuries, and repeatedly proved he belongs on a football field. After an injury-hit 2025 season in Washington, the former Ohio State wide receiver is getting another fresh start.

Brown signed with the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, with the team releasing defensive tackle Benito Jones to open up a roster spot. Entering his ninth NFL season on his fourth team is a big achievement for a player picked 239th overall back in 2017. But what makes this move interesting is the environment he is walking into.

Las Vegas is building its offensive future around rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the No. 1 overall draft pick who led Indiana to a national title and won the Heisman Trophy. While veteran Kirk Cousins started the preseason opener against Arizona, Mendoza stole the spotlight when he came off the bench. The rookie completed 10 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown, giving fans a clear look at his potential.

Young quarterbacks need receivers who run precise routes and win contested catches. Las Vegas has star tight end Brock Bowers and running back Ashton Jeanty, but their wide receiver room lacks experienced depth. Brown brings 91 NFL games of experience to that group. He is not arriving as a top target, but he gives Mendoza a reliable safety net when plays break down.

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Noah Brown isn’t coming in to suddenly become the team’s No. 1 WR. But he knows how to play the position at this level. The former national champion has appeared in 91 NFL games, starting 38 of them. He has 155 receptions for 2,083 yards and six touchdowns. Those numbers show why teams have continued to find room for him. The bigger issue has been staying healthy.

The biggest hurdle for Brown has been staying on the field. Knee and groin injuries limited him to just four games last year in Washington. Yet when healthy, he makes game-changing plays. His signature NFL moment came in 2024 when he caught a desperate 52-yard pass as time expired to win a game, a legendary play known across football as the Hail Maryland.

That’s the kind of player the Raiders are hoping they’re getting. A veteran who can make something happen when the ball comes his way. Meanwhile, for Ohio State fans, Noah Brown’s journey has been a strange and entertaining one.

Ohio State roots make Noah Brown’s move worth watching

Noah Brown was around for Ohio State’s 2014 title run as a freshman. He played 14 games that year, mostly helping out on special teams. Then came the setback. He broke both his tibia and fibula in camp before the 2015 season, forcing him to sit out. But when he returned the next year, he made people notice.

The Oklahoma game was the big one. Noah Brown grabbed five passes and scored four touchdowns. That night changed how people looked at him and helped put his name on the NFL radar. He left Ohio State with 33 catches, 411 yards, and seven touchdowns. Dallas still waited until the seventh round to take him in 2017. Nine years later, he’s still here. Now he gets another opportunity with the Raiders, and potentially alongside Fernando Mendoza if the rookie eventually takes over the offense.

The receiver room remains crowded, and younger players such as Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton Jr. are also competing for spots. So Noah Brown has work to do. But he’s been doing that for a long time. A seventh-round pick who has lasted nine NFL seasons doesn’t need anyone to explain the odds to him.