Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1503568
A U G U S T 2 0 2 3 10 1 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M P enn State has prioritized wide re- ceivers during the 2024 recruiting cycle and it added a good one when Josiah Brown of Holy Trinity Diocesan in Hicksville, N.Y., joined the class on June 23, a few days after returning home from his official visit to campus. Brown stands 5-foot-11, 170 pounds and has received a four-star grade in the On3 Industry Ranking. He had earned an offer from Penn State in March 2022 and made his first visit to campus the follow- ing month. He returned this past January and again in April before coming back for his official visit on the weekend of June 16-18. It was the last of those trips that sealed it for PSU. "Penn State is a wonderful place when it comes down to it," Brown said. "Be- tween the facilities, the coaches, gradu- ating from Penn State and the degree you get, it holds so much weight. When I went on my visit, the players treated me like family, and I had just met them. That said a lot." Brown's primary recruiter was wide receivers coach Marques Hagans. Al- though Hagans wasn't yet at PSU when the Lions first extended their offer, the two developed a strong relationship after the former Virginia assistant joined James Franklin's staff in January. "He's a standup guy," Brown said. "When I went up there, he was very passionate about his players. I saw him teaching everyone the same and making sure everybody got the concepts." Before announcing his decision, Brown had earned two dozen scholarship offers. In addition to Penn State, the schools pursuing him included Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame and Oklahoma. Although he was in demand all over the country, Brown preferred to stay close to home. His decision ultimately came down to a choice between Penn State and Rutgers. The family atmosphere he expe- rienced in State College helped sway him toward the Lions. "The energy and the way my family got to vibe with all the coaches there, it meant a lot to me," he said. "[My family] had a wonderful time on the visit. That meant a lot to me. Family means a lot to me. So, the fact that they had just as good a time with everyone as I did, it spoke volumes." A member of the On300, Brown is listed No. 248 overall, the ninth-ranked athlete nationally and the No. 1 player in New York for the 2024 class, per the On3 Industry Ranking. Brown and fellow Penn State com- mit Tyseer Denmark are two of the best receiver prospects in the Northeast this year. During his official visit, Brown spent time with Denmark and another PSU- bound receiver, Peter Gonzalez, both of whom were on campus that weekend. "We hung out for most of the visit," Brown said. "Those guys are great ballers. I'm looking forward to getting better with them every day." ■ Family Atmosphere Entices New York Receiver RYA N S N Y D E R | R YA N. S N Y D E R @ O N 3 . C O M COMMITMENT PROFILE JOSIAH BROWN Brown was being pursued nationally before choosing the Nittany Lions over Rutgers in June. PHOTO COURTESY ON3.COM Four-star wideout Josiah Brown was part of a three-receivers-in-three-days run for Penn State in June, joining Tyseer Denmark and Peter Gonzalez in the Nittany Lions' 2024 class. Here's a look at what makes the Hicksville, N.Y., prospect such an important addition. STRENGTHS Speed: Brown doesn't have the top speed that makes your head spin, but he's consistently faster than his opponents. When given a chance to run routes downfield, he can turn a skinny post into a touchdown with a second gear that blows away the secondary. Agility: Not only is Brown fast, he's got long, fluid strides that chew up ground and enable him to maintain his momentum with subtle cuts at high speed. Some players are fast but aren't experts at running. Brown is both. Route running: Brown can glide into his route stem and cut hard, creating ideal angles for separating from the defensive back. Whether it's a dig, a 10-yard in-breaking route or something less severe like a post, there's nothing that he can't run. AREAS OF DEVELOPMENT Hands: While most of his issues come in contested-catch situations, there are several concentration drops on Brown's full-game film. He also tends to body-catch balls when coming back to the quarter- back instead of extending his hands. Size: Brown stands 5-foot-11 and has a sub-30-inch reach. He's a tough, physical player who can absorb a shot after catching the ball, but he has to be careful about playing small through contact. In other words, he's willing to take a hit after the catch but doesn't consistently get the ball when being hit. PROJECTION Slot receiver: Because he has a smaller frame, the slot is natural fit. X receiver: Brown is a bit undersized for this role but still has traits that have worked for some of his predecessors at PSU. Z receiver: There's a lot of room in the flat, and Brown has already shown that he can generate yards after the catch on screens. With his route-running potential, he could be a dynamic threat who generates explosive plays on intermediate routes. — Thomas Frank Carr P L A Y E R E V A L U A T I O N