It’s a common phrase: Good things come to those who wait.

That doesn’t mean waiting has to be popular, of course, but for SMU linebacker Byron Brown, it appears that a little patience is paying off.

Two other linebackers from Brown’s recruiting class, Ja’Gared Davis and Taylor Reed, stepped into prominent roles — Davis started five games as a freshman, and both started as sophomores — while Brown waited his turn, contributing mostly on special teams.

Defensive coordinator Tom Mason said linebacker Byron Brown is among a handful of players who have caught his eye with a strong performance this spring (photo by Travis Johnston).

But talk to SMU defensive coordinator Tom Mason about players who have caught his during spring workouts, and Brown is one of the first players he brings up.

“He’s coming along,” Mason said. “He’s coming up on his third year, and that’s usually when a college player ‘gets it,’ and he obviously gets it. It’s not fair to compare him to Taylor (Reed) or JG (Davis) — those are guys we had to play and they were ready to play, and they have done a good job. But Byron’s going to contribute this year. He’s fast and he’s getting stronger, and he looks like he can do more.”

Brown always has been a player for whom speed made up for an absence of size. When he signed in 2009 out of Minden, La., he carried just 198 pounds on his 5-foot-11-inch frame … but he ran the 40-yard dash in the 4.4-second range. Mason always has coveted speed above all else in his linebackers, and Brown fits the bill.

Brown said his improvement this spring is not the result of some strategic change or the development of a new technique; instead, he said it has been a matter of simply staying confident in his knowledge and ability.

“My freshman year, I hurt my knee (torn meniscus), and when I couldn’t play (Brown appeared in seven games), I got down on myself,” he said. “I felt like I had to ‘catch up’ to JG and T-Reed.

“Now I’m more laid back, I have more confidence — I’m not sure why. My knee is fine, I know the defense, I know what to do. My spiritual belief kept me going every day, and now it just feels a little different. I see things faster, and I’m doing things faster.”

Brown said the injury to his knee helped him mature into the player he and Mason think he will be in 2011.

“I never had an injury like that before,” Brown said. “Physically, I came back fine, but mentally took some time. It took a while to get that confidence back.”

Byron Brown said he would like to bulk up to about 220 pounds if he can do so while maintaining his speed (photo by Webmaster).

After working at both outside linebacker spots in his first two seasons, Brown is practicing this spring at the WILL linebacker spot, where the player in front of him — Davis — earned first-team All-Conference USA honors in 2010; Davis’s 9.0 quarterback sacks last year were the second-highest total in C-USA. So Brown’s speed, understanding of the defense and the versatility to play either side might well increase his playing time. He also said that he has added weight as he has gotten stronger — “I’m pushing 210 now,” he said — and wants to continue bulking up.

“I want to get up to 220 pounds,” Brown said. “I want to get that big and see if I can keep the weight instead of running it off. It’s two things: I don’t want to run it off, but I also want to keep my speed, so there’s a balance in there somewhere.

“I’m eating more, and I’m eating better — I eat protein three times a day, and I’m working hard in the weight room. I think I can carry more weight.”

While working past his knee injury and getting stronger, Brown’s improved confidence has allowed him to get past the frustration of not starting right away.

“I let it get to me a little, but not anymore,” Brown said. “JG (Davis) is a great athlete, and I can learn from him, and I have learned from him. I see how he plays, how he rushes the passer, and I try to imitate him. I used to be frustrated, but now, seeing him makes me a better player.

“I don’t know — maybe that’s why Coach Mason thinks I’m having a good spring. But between special teams and defense, I have an opportunity to help make this defense — this team — better.”