CARLTON BREWSTER TO INK FREE AGENT DEAL WITH CLEVELAND

Ferris All-America Wide Receiver To Participate In Browns' First Practice This Friday

Former Ferris State University flanker Carlton Brewster (Grand Rapids/Creston) has agreed in principle to a free agent contract with the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). Brewster will report to the team's rookie mini-camp this Thursday (May 4) and officially sign a contact before particpating in Friday's (May 5) opening workouts.

"I'm not disappointed that I didn't get drafted this weekend, because it just makes me more hungry to prove to everyone that they made a mistake not drafting me," said Brewster.

Cleveland was one of several teams to have shown interest in Brewster leading up to this past weekend's NFL Draft (April 29-30) in New York City. The Browns even conducted a private workout with Brewster, who will ink a one-year $275,000 contact which is conditional upon him earning a squad active roster spot.

Brewster concluded his collegiate career in 2005 by garnering three different All-America honors. He was named to the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) All-America Team, the Associated Press (AP) Little All-America Second Team, and the D2Football.com Honorable Mention All-America Team.

For his career, Brewster ranks second among Ferris' all-time receiving leaders with 3,184 career receiving yards and 25 TD’s on 234 receptions in 43 outings. He finished in fifth place on the GLIAC's career receiving yardage leaders list with 2,923 yards on 213 grabs in conference games only. A 2004 All-America Honorable Mention pick by Don Hansen’s Football Gazette and D2Football.com, Brewster wrapped up his four-year (2002-05) career third among the Bulldogs' career leaders chart in kickoff returns (1,197 yds.), fourth in punt returns (588 yds.), fifth in all-purpose yards (5,029 yds.), and eighth in scoring (164 pts.).

Ferris' top receiver the past three seasons, Brewster was on the receiving end of a team-high 60 passes for 921 yards and seven TD's in 11 2005 season contests. The two-time (2004-05) All-GLIAC First-Team pick racked up five 100-yard plus receiving-game efforts this past fall, including a season-high 137 yards and two TD’s on eight grabs against Northern Michigan (10/15). His 921-yard receiving total in 2005 represented the 10th highest single-season total in school history. Brewster, twice (2004-05) a FSU Most Valuable Offensive Skill Player Award winner, placed 36th among the final 2005 NCAA Division II national statistical leaders in receiving yards per game (83.7 ypg.), 46th in receptions per game (5.5 avg.), and 98th in all-purpose yards (107.7 ypg.).

Brewster represents the seventh former Ferris State player to ever sign a NFL contract. The select group consists of running back Dave Gagnon (1974-Chicago Bears), outside linebacker Monty Brown (1997-New York Jets), defensive tackle Ed Philion (1994-Buffalo Bills), defensive end Dave Zuiderveen (2001-Atlanta Falcons), flanker Clarence Coleman (2002-Buffalo Bills), and tackle Matt McCoy (2004-Detroit Lions). Philion is currently the only Bulldog active in professional football as the defensive lineman completed his eighth year with the Canadian Football League's (CFL) Montreal Alouettes in 2005.