Wyoming’s Wrook Brown Intends to Enter NCAA Transfer Portal

LARAMIE -- Wyoming has lost its third presumptive starter in the last 10 days.

Wrook Brown intends to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal, he confirmed on Monday. Jay Sawvel warned during his press conference last Thursday another departure was imminent in addition to running back Harrison Waylee and edge rusher Sabastian Harsh.

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He was referring to the 5-foot-11, 187-pound nickel cornerback, who has one season of eligibility remaining.

"There is one other in there that I think could happen, but that is more of a family situation with illness type of thing going on," Wyoming's head coach said. "So, if that does happen, I'm completely aware of all the scenarios to it."

Brown said Monday this was a difficult decision on many levels, but watching his grandparents grow older and being more accessible to family helped put things into perspective.

"It makes you think -- life is bigger than football," the Salado, Texas product said over the phone. "I thought it would be wrong to go through spring ball if (the staff) didn't know. They need to get other guys ready to play. It wouldn't really be fair for me to take those reps."

Brown, who will graduate this spring, said this move has nothing to do with the coaches or the state of the program. In fact, he raved about the future and has full faith the ship will get righted in 2025.

He just won't be a part of it, which is still hard for him to admit.

"This was not a football decision or a complaint about anyone," Brown continued. "My whole life is up there. I don't think anyone is happy to make a decision like this. My friends, coaches and people you love are up there."

Brown said he has not heard from any potential teams and is in no hurry to find a landing spot, though he does still intend to play somewhere, preferably closer to home, next fall.

He reiterated, though, how proud he is to receive his degree from UW, saying he will be a "Poke for life."

"I love Wyoming," he said.

Brown proved to have a nose for the football during his three-year playing career in Laramie. He picked off six passes. Some were the memorable kind, too.

In a season-opening upset of Texas Tech back in 2023, it was Brown who sparked the improbable Wyoming comeback.

With the Red Raiders holding a commanding 17-3 lead in the second quarter, Tyler Shough fired a pass from the far hash to the boundary in the direction of Myles Price. Brown stepped in front of the heave near the visiting sideline, setting up the Cowboys at their own 44-yard line.

Five plays and 56 yards later, fullback Caleb Driskill was celebrating in the end zone after hauling in a 4-yard touchdown pass from Andrew Peasley.

Wyoming would go on to win 35-33 in double overtime.

"If you told me when I was a kid that I would have a pick against Texas Tech, I wouldn't believe you," Wyoming's nickelback said the following Monday. "It's pretty exciting."

Another Brown interception sealed a miraculous victory over Appalachian State just three weeks later.

Joey Aguilar, facing a full-house blitz right in his face, lobbed a late fourth-quarter pass down the middle of the field off his back foot. Tight end Eli Wilson was the intended target. The ball didn't make it that far.

Brown leapt in the air and cradled that floater near the Cowboys' 6-yard line with 12 seconds remaining, preserving the 22-19 win. He was later named the Mountain West's Defensive Player of the Week.

"I saw out of the corner of my eye the ball kind of floating up there," Brown said postgame. "I took a step off my man and it felt like slow motion. I didn't know if I would have enough hang time to hold on to it."

Brown, who was also celebrating his birthday that night, also scooped up a lazily thrown ball to the perimeter by Aguilar early in the second quarter. It was deemed a lateral, and five plays later, Peasley was cruising into the end zone from nine yards out to give Wyoming an early 7-6 advantage.

His first-career start came in New Mexico back in 2022. Brown tallied a team-high 10 tackles and broke up a pass in that 27-14 victory.

Two years later, in that very same venue, he again was the Cowboys' biggest playmaker on defense. Brown jumped a quick hook route and returned the Devon Dampier mistake 29 yards down the seam for a score, cutting the Lobos' lead to just a field goal with 12:55 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Wyoming would go on to win 49-45 in Albuquerque.

"(We were) a step slow and just didn't attack things," Sawvel said postgame. "Then, come time to attack one, Wrook attacked one, and it was a big play for us. We did enough to get off the field in times that we needed to get off the field. Look, you just have to win."

Brown registered 131 tackles in parts of three seasons in Laramie, including 94 of the solo variety. He also broke up 13 passes.

What will he miss most?

You.

"Wyoming has some of the greatest fans in college football," he said.

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Wyoming's starting safeties, Wyett Ekeler and Isaac White, both exhausted their eligibility after the 2024 campaign. Tyrecus Davis, thanks to a court ruling that grants seniors who started their careers at a junior college an additional FBS season, is on the open market. The senior cornerback has had few suitors, most recently Sam Houston State.

With the departure of Brown, corner Keany Parks is now the lone returning starter in the Cowboys' secondary with spring practices set to begin Tuesday. Andrew Johnson, Malique Singleton and Ian Bell also saw significant playing time last fall.

Sawvel and Co. knew a revamp was in order this offseason. The staff went out and signed five transfers, including four safeties: Brooklyn Cheek (Cal), Jaden DaCosta (Portland State), Desmon Hearns (Southern Illinois) and Justin Taylor (Wisconsin.) BJ Inmon, a corner from Snow College, also inked with the program last December. Freshman cornerback Tyson Deen (San Antonio) is also already on campus.

Rookie safeties Elvin Ampofo (Aurora, Colo.) and Kaiden Kimble-Turner (Kuna, Idaho) will arrive this summer.

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