Could Isaiah McKenzie be the next Antonio Brown? An ESPN analyst thinks so.

ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. has been a big believer in former Georgia receiver Isaiah McKenzie for some time.

Before this past weekend’s NFL draft, Kiper projected McKenzie as a third-round pick to the Denver Broncos. Kiper got the team right, although the Broncos got McKenzie in the fifth round.

Still, Kiper clearly thinks highly of McKenzie’s talent as a next-level receiver.

During a segment on ESPN's "SportsCenter," Kiper was asked which late-round pick has the best chance of becoming the next Antonio Brown out of this year’s draft haul.

Kiper’s pick? McKenzie.

“You’re talking about a guy who is so versatile,” Kiper said. “You can run him on reverses. You can give him a shovel pass. You can get him the ball, obviously, in the passing game. He’s a great punt returner.”

McKenzie wasn’t used much as a receiver during his first two years at Georgia. Over his first two seasons, McKenzie caught 16 passes for 190 yards but without a touchdown. He actually had more yards (195) and touchdowns (two) during that span as a runner.

But after the coaching change at Georgia took place, McKenzie became Georgia’s top target in the passing game. As a junior, he caught 44 passes for 633 yards and seven touchdowns. He also carried the ball 19 times 134 yards and two touchdowns.

Of the games Kiper watched, he said McKenzie showed improvement.

“For Georgia, he kept getting better and better,” Kiper said. “That versatility, you love players like that when you get into the fifth round area.”

In college, Brown, who attended Central Michigan from 2007-09, had gaudier receiving stats but also spent three years in a high-octane offense. Before turning pro after his junior season, Brown totaled 3,199 receiving yards and 22 touchdowns. Brown has since become one of the NFL’s top receivers over the past seven years with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

But while Brown was an All-America punt returner in 2008 and 2009, he fell to the sixth round of the 2010 NFL draft.

The closest comparison between Brown and McKenzie comes in the return game. Brown totaled three punt return touchdowns in three years while McKenzie recorded five, a Georgia record. McKenzie added a kickoff return during his freshman season, with six total return touchdowns also being a program record.

Kiper believes that McKenzie’s punt return abilities will be what helps him see playing time early in his professional career.

“That’s what’s going to get him onto the field right away as he matures as a receiver and learns how to run routes and get open against NFL defensive backs,” Kiper said. “He could be a real positive influence.”

This story was originally published May 1, 2017 at 11:35 AM with the headline "Could Isaiah McKenzie be the next Antonio Brown? An ESPN analyst thinks so. ."