How a race launched 4-star Josiah Brown's football career

Competition tends to bring the most out of people, whether it’s in the classroom, at work or on the sports field.

For eight-year-old Josiah Brown, it was as simple as racing one of his childhood best friends.

Before the race, Brown had only run track, but the race served as the starting point of his career in another sport, football.

The eight-year-old displayed a burst of speed rivaled by few, capturing the attention of his future coach, coach Les.

Brown’s decision to head to the gridiron has paid off in bunches, ranking as the No. 83 player in the 2024 class and the top player from New York, according to ESPN.

In eighth grade, Brown decided to play high school football at Holy Trinity on Long Island.

“I had a great relationship with coach Roy because I played on his football team,” Brown said. “I also loved the school. It’s a great environment to be in, and I wanted to win some championships with old friends.”

Over his two years as a Titan, Brown has emerged as one of the top players in the nation, and he made a big impact during the 2021 campaign.

Versatility is a huge factor in Brown's game, and coach Kahmal Roy plays Brown at wide receiver and safety.

The Long Island, New York, native finished the season with 20 catches for 337 yards and seven touchdowns, while on defense, he recorded 16 tackles, one tackle for loss and one interception.

Brown’s 2021 season started strong as he found the endzone and tallied 48 yards on a season-high four catches while racking up four tackles in a 27-0 victory over St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute.

Over his next five games, he hauled in seven passes for 71 yards and one touchdown, but he made his impact felt as a punt returner.

He recorded 137 of his 155 punt return yards over this stretch, which included a 54-yard and 70-yard return.

With Holy Trinity sitting with six straight victories, the Titans had championship aspirations, and Brown elevated his game to a new level in different ways.

The 2021 season was the first for quarterback A.J. Locke at Holy Trinity, and he mentioned that Brown’s leadership stood out to him.

“I heard before that he wasn’t vocal, but there’s no way he wasn't vocal in the past because since I’ve been here, he’s been very vocal,” Locke said. “He makes everybody want to go as hard as possible and wants everybody to give 100 percent.”

Brown ended the regular season with 144 yards and three touchdowns in his last two games, and he continued the momentum by recording three catches for 49 yards and a score in the opening round.

The pass-catcher credited his offensive success late in the season to his speed and elusiveness.

“I’m really elusive, and I’m going to make you miss,” Brown said. “Everybody knows my speed is the main factor in my game, and I know how to catch the ball, so that helps me make big plays.”

Holy Trinity was one win away from completing the perfect season and capturing the championship with St. John the Baptist standing in its way.

Brown had one catch in the contest, but it was a 19-yard touchdown and proved to be the deciding factor in a 21-10 victory for the Titans.

After the win, Brown captured the offensive player of the game and took home All-league honors.

Despite receiving these accolades, the rising junior emphasized his team’s success rather than his awards.

“We had great coaches. My coaches kept our heads straight on, and we knew we had a lot of work to be done, and we put in a lot of work,” Brown said. “God blessed us to be great, so we just executed.”

Brown’s skills caught the eyes of some college programs, and in late November, he took an unofficial visit to Rutgers.

The rising junior entered 2022 with no offers, but that quickly changed, and that was no surprise to Locke.

“He makes everybody around him better and makes everybody around him want to play with him,” Locke said. “His speed is something you don’t see every day.”

On Jan. 13 Brown received his first power five offer from Rutgers and mentioned it was an emotional day.

“I almost cried seeing my mom, dad and brothers,” Brown said. “There were many tears of joy, and it was just a great day.”

The offers continued to roll in for Brown, with schools such as West Virginia and Pittsburgh offering the speedster.

In late March, Notre Dame and Penn State offered Brown, and he visited the Nittany Lions in early April and is visiting Notre Dame at the end of July.

The four-star mentioned that getting the opportunity to visit these schools has been a dream come true, and he thanks God for giving him the ability to do it.

As the year has progressed, the versatile star has gained more attention, with Georgia, Oklahoma and South Carolina extending offers to him.

Despite having a multitude of offers, Brown continues to stay level-headed and not let the pressure of being a top player get to him.

“I know there’s more work to be done, and there’s no pressure because it’s what I want to do in life,” Brown said. “My parents and coaches always told me that I had the potential to become a five-star.”

Sitting as a consensus top 200 player by several recruiting sites, Brown is well on his way to achieving his goal of becoming a five-star.

The 2021 NYCHSFL All-League member set lofty goals heading into his junior campaign, mentioning he wants to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards and 20 total touchdowns and repeat as undefeated champions.

With lofty goals being set heading into 2022, Locke believes that his teammate can achieve them and be a crucial part of the Titans' success.

“He’s gonna lock-in no matter what anybody else is doing, and he’s gonna make his teammates better,” Locke said. “ He’s a dog, and he’s not going to let anybody take his spot.