Want to attack every day with the latest UGA football recruiting info? That’s what the Intel brings at least four days a week. The play sheet today calls for a recap of the big commitment last night from 4-star OL Josh Braun.
Josh Braun is now the red and black sheep of the brothers in the Braun family.
As far as that goes, he could not be happier. His older brothers, Parker and Trey, were both three-year starters at Georgia Tech.
This recruiting win definitely belongs in the “Greatest Hits” anthology of recruiting summits for well-respected line coach Sam Pittman. Braun is the youngest of a trio of brothers who have played or will play major college football.
Those Jackets were buzzing for him when he made his decision last night. Josh already knows it feels great to be a Georgia Bulldog (commit) and he said that his older brothers were happy for him.
“It feels great,” Josh Braun said. “Joining an elite program and eventually being able to compete against the best day in and day out is a dream come true. I called both of my brothers last night before I made my decision. They both agree that Georgia was a great fit for me, and they’re excited for the Georgia-Georgia Tech games. They would have supported me wherever I went, and they still will. My oldest brother is excited for me to live near him soon.”
His oldest brother, Trey, now lives and works in Atlanta. His sister-in-law, Anna, just delivered their first child on June 9. She is also the head volleyball coach at Oglethorpe University in Atlanta.
As much as we love to tell a good story around these web pages, this was simply another wonderful moment for the Braun family this week.
Josh is looking forward to being a 5-star uncle, but he termed the series of events and the timing and simply as an independent coincidence.
Whatever it was, it also just feels right this week for the Brauns.
RELATED: The Josh Bruan story is unique and uncommon. Even for Georgia recruiting these days.
The things to know about Josh Braun
The Suwannee High (Live Oak, Fla.) standout seems to check every box an ideal Georgia recruit could follow. Just pick any area. A listing could start with his 33 ACT, the 4.0 GPA, the steadfast course to earn a master’s degree and a focus on life after football with every step on his decision.
Sure, the 84-inch wingspan and the 6-foot-6 and then some metric on the growth also helps. So does the swing dancer’s feet and the ability to more than hold his own on his varsity tennis team while he weighed north of 350 pounds.
Why Georgia? His logic there was was simple and concise. He seems to convey both of those elements along with a vast amount of intelligence with almost all his answers.
“I feel the time was right, and I was comfortable with the decision,” Braun said. “It ended up being the best fit for me.”
This is, to put it Braun terms, a pretty sharp and well-centered kid.
Why Josh Braun chose Georgia
Braun impressed earlier this spring when he was asked a simple “how will you know” question about what might spark his college decision.
He showed then he already had his vast hands around an early sign of adult intelligence. That’s when the “I don’t know” answer becomes a mark of maturity instead of an intelligence gap.
The reply there was he wasn’t sure yet. He didn’t know and saw no need to wing it.
It finally dawned on him last night in regard to Georgia. Braun had already taken officials to both Florida and South Carolina. Those schools were whittled down from among many because of the feedback and national reputation across the country in the following core areas:
- The academic reputation of a major college football program
- The industry reputation of the offensive line coach at said program
- The professional reputation and merits of the strength and conditioning staff at that program
With Georgia, he had already found all his answers.
“They are going to develop me athletically, academically, and give me opportunities that I can take advantage of further down the road,” Braun told DawgNation. “It was the best fit any way I looked at it.”
Josh Braun chose UGA over Florida and South Carolina
It was another strong recruiting win for the Bulldogs. This one meant pulling a Matthew Boling to the finish line to outlast the Gators and the Gamecocks. For another out-of-state target.
Braun said he weighed everything all out in his head. Did he already have his answer without needing to take that official visit?
“Yes,” Braun told DawgNation. “Georgia is the best in what I want to study (Risk Management) and it is close to where I’d like to work after college (Atlanta).”
He did not need his official visit to figure out this choice. That’s why this weekend now becomes more of a celebratory weekend lap around his future home.
He’ll be there. So will budding 5-star OT Tate Ratledge, too. Braun had told DawgNation in the past that playing with Ratledge would be a nice benefit if he chose UGA.
Those two have already been in touch since Braun made his choice.
“He said welcome to the family, he’s glad I committed, and we’re gonna hang out this weekend,” Braun said.
The appearance of both Braun and Ratledge will no doubt be noticed by another official visitor this weekend. That would be one 5-star RB and a true priority Georgia target in Kendall Milton.
Braun relayed that he is working on a message to share with the 5-star back.
And if it is like everything else he has to say, it will no doubt be a well-crafted one.
“I’ll have one for him when we get there,” Braun told DawgNation. “I don’t know what it is yet, but I’ll have one.”
Braun has played center, guard and tackle for his high school team. His father is a respected offensive line coach who has shown a knack for preparing his boys for Saturdays. Both of Braun’s parents are West Point grads, too.
That only adds to the checklist when it comes to Braun and his family.
The ideal fit at UGA could very well be in the Isaiah Wilson mold.
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