4-star athlete Josiah Brown commits to Penn State Nittany Lions

Hicksville (N.Y.) Holy Trinity Diocesan four-star athlete Josiah Brown has announced his commitment to Penn State. He chose the Nittany Lions over Georgia and Rutgers.

Brown is the No. 251 overall prospect and No. 11 athlete in the 2024 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He is also the No. 1 player in New York.

On3 rates Brown higher than other recruiting services, according to the Industry Comparison. Per the 2024 On300, he is the No. 9 athlete in the country.

“Everything was great,” Brown told Ryan Snyder of BlueWhiteIllustrated on June 19 about his official visit to State College. “What I would say is that they have a really strong family atmosphere there. I feel like I have a strong connection with everyone there, and because of that, I loved everything about my visit.”

Head coach James Franklin and his staff have hosted the 5-foot-11, 170-pound recruit multiple times this year. Brown’s trips include an official on the weekend of June 17 and unofficial visits on April 13 and Jan. 21.

For more Penn State recruiting intel, check out BlueWhiteIllustrated.

Penn State’s coaches stand out to Brown

Penn State’s coaching staff has made a positive impression on Brown. He specifically mentioned his bond with Franklin and wide receivers coach Marques Hagans.

“He’s a standup guy,” Brown said of Hagans. “I never felt like our talks were just about recruiting or just about football. He took me in like I was his son. I feel like the bond we have is very authentic. He’s a great guy and a great coach also.”

“Like Coach Hagans, (Franklin) has a great personality,” he added. “He was giving me some life lessons. But also, Coach Franklin is just a fun guy. He’s funny, but he has a good mix of that and being serious when it’s time to be serious. He showed my family a lot of love. I have nothing but respect for him.”

Prior to Brown’s pledge, Penn State’s 2024 recruiting class ranked No. 10 in the 2024 On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings and No. 4 in the Big Ten. The Nittany Lions’ group is led by Belle Vernon (Penn.) four-star athlete Quinton Martin, the No. 43 overall prospect in the country.

Brown and Martin are two of Penn State’s six top-250 commits. The others are Jacksonville (Fla.) Mandarin four-star cornerback Jon Mitchell, Waukesha (Wis.) Catholic Memorial four-star interior offensive lineman Donovan Harbour, Erie (Penn.) McDowell four-star interior offensive lineman Cooper Cousins and Philadelphia (Penn.) Roman Catholic four-star wide receiver Tyseer Denmark, who chose the Nittany Lions two days ago.