Amon-Ra St. Brown On Pace To Be First USC Trojan To Lead NFL In Impressive Stat

However, there’s one unique statistical accomplishment that St. Brown, and no other USC Trojan wide receiver alum, has ever achieved: outright leading the NFL in receiving touchdowns. St. Brown has been close, including last season, but has never quite gotten over the hump. This season, three games in, St. Brown leads the NFL with four receiving touchdowns.

Former USC player Lynn Swann is the closest Trojan to reach this milestone, having tied the league lead in 1975 with 11 touchdown receptions. Could this be the year that St. Brown makes Trojan history? He'll have steep competition from the likes of fellow wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, Puka Nakua, Davante Adams, and others, but St. Brown is firmly in the hunt as his target share will keep him with steady opportunity.

St. Brown is on pace to accomplish that elusive outright lead, but he also is aiming to become the first USC Trojan wide receiver to earn three consecutive First-Team All-Pro selections. Additionally, a Pro Bowl selection this season would also mark St. Brown’s fourth consecutive appearance.

“It’s his toughness, his motor, blocking, route-running, yards after catch – he goes 100% at it. Props to him and the way he plays because I think it’s kind of rare at the receiver position to approach the game the way he does,” Baltimore Ravens All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton said of St. Brown.

St. Brown’s connection with quarterback Jared Goff and the trust coach Dan Campbell has in him is apparent any time the Lions take the field, as he’s the go-to target in third and fourth-down situations, and leads the NFL with first-down and touchdown catches. St. Brown also took third place all-time in Detroit Lions football history with his 37th career receiving touchdown just three games into his fifth season.

“Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown has produced his 37th-career TD reception, passing Marvin Jones Jr. (36) for the 3rd-most TD receptions in team history,” Lions PR said after the Lions' 38-30 victory over the Baltimore Ravens on Monday Night Football.

This year is on pace to be one full of Trojan and Lion history for St. Brown. The proud USC alum has paved the way for a Hall of Fame conversation should he have the type of season he’s become accustomed to. It would place him amongst some of the all-time greats of the sport, and as a former fourth-round pick, it would be rightfully that much sweeter for St. Brown and his supporters. 

And for USC and coach Lincoln Riley, it's another feather in their cap as they look to continue to dominate on the recruiting trail and transfer portal.