Before he forced and recovered a fumble in his NFL debut, JuJu Brents made his presence known to the Baltimore Ravens.
Wide receiver Zay Flowers caught a pass on the far sideline on third and six. Brents drove down on Flowers and thumped him, knocking the rookie back a few yards. Flowers was still given the first down, but on that play, it was clear: Brents came to play last weekend.
"You're gonna feel me for sure," Brents said on Thursday's episode of the Official Colts Podcast (listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube). You're gonna feel my presence. I'm gonna be aggressive. I'm gonna be in your face. And I'm gonna talk a little noise too."
Last weekend, Brents' physicality and confidence shined – the same traits that were part of why the Colts selected him in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft. But it's one thing to show that physicality in college; it's another to show it against guys in the NFL.
"Not all corners like to tackle," Colts defensive backs coach Ron Milus said. "I mean, that's just what it is. But he does bring that ability to make a tackle."
Milus pointed to two other aspects to Brents' physicality: First, that he can legitimately play bump-and-run press coverage, and second, that his willingness to tackle limits how many yards after the catch opposing players can get. Brents was targeted five times, with Ravens receivers catching three of those targets and generating minus-one yard after the catch.
"He's able to set the edge, he's able to use his God-given size and length to impose his will on the opponent," cornerback Kenny Moore II said. "As a defensive back, as a defensive player, you just gotta appreciate that from a teammate."
View the top photos as the Colts continue preparations to face the Los Angeles Rams in Week 4 at Lucas Oil Stadium.


36 S Henry Black

41 LB Grant Stuard

23 CB Kenny Moore II , 33 CB Dallis Flowers

53 LB Shaquille Leonard

29 CB JuJu Brents

20 S Nick Cross

40 CB Jaylon Jones

29 CB JuJu Brents

39 CB Darrell Baker Jr.

32 S Julian Blackmon , 40 CB Jaylon Jones

23 CB Kenny Moore II

23 CB Kenny Moore II

33 CB Dallis Flowers

33 CB Dallis Flowers

29 CB JuJu Brents

10 QB Gardner Minshew

33 CB Dallis Flowers , 29 CB JuJu Brents

97 DT Al-Quadin Muhammad

20 S Nick Cross , 35 CB Chris Lammons

29 CB JuJu Brents

4 QB Sam Ehlinger

30 CB Darren Hall

29 CB JuJu Brents

40 CB Jaylon Jones

25 CB Rodney Thomas II

42 S Marcel Dabo

5 QB Anthony Richardson

25 CB Rodney Thomas II

10 QB Gardner Minshew

34 RB Jake Funk

14 WR Alec Pierce

21 RB Zack Moss

33 CB Dallis Flowers

21 RB Zack Moss

3 WR Amari Rodgers, 9 WR Juwann Winfree

2 WR D.J. Montgomery

15 WR Racey McMath

81 TE Mo Alie-Cox

51 DE Kwity Paye

83 TE Kylen Granson

1 WR Josh Downs

85 TE Andrew Ogletree

85 TE Andrew Ogletree

96 DT Taven Bryan

27 RB Trey Sermon

11 WR Michael Pittman Jr.

52 LB Samson Ebukam

95 DT Adetomiwa Adebawore

54 DE Dayo Odeyingbo

96 DT Taven Bryan

98 DT McTelvin Agim

78 C Ryan Kelly

90 DT Grover Stewart

52 LB Samson Ebukam

52 LB Samson Ebukam

51 DE Kwity Paye

75 G Will Fries

52 LB Samson Ebukam

90 DT Grover Stewart

90 DT Grover Stewart

94 DE Tyquan Lewis

65 G Josh Sills

95 DT Adetomiwa Adebawore

79 T Bernhard Raimann
Fellow cornerback Dallis Flowers echoed that sentiment.
"Fiery, chippy," Flowers said. "Ready to learn, ready to work. He played a great game. You felt his presence out there — big, long, fast, explosive. Felt good to have him out there with us."
Brents on Sunday will take the field at Lucas Oil Stadium against the Los Angeles Rams in his first opportunity to play a regular season NFL game in his hometown. It'll be a special moment for Brents – but also an opportunity to make the story about his play on the field more than his Indianapolis roots.
"My whole life growing up a Colts fan, it's crazy – now I get to share the same Horseshoe," Brents said. "It's like a dream come true for a little kid."
Thursday's practice report: