PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Last season, Samuel Brown V did more than just flash his potential for Rutgers football. The true freshman showed that he wasn’t just the future of the Rutgers backfield, he was also very much a star in the present.
And that potential was born on the basketball court for the now Rutgers standout running back
Brown, a former four-star recruit as a running back, had a solid freshman year at Rutgers. He had 343 rushing yards and three touchdowns in 2022 despite missing the second half of the season due to a foot injury.
In high school at LaSalle (Philadelphia, PA), Brown was a dual-sport athlete who excelled in both football and basketball (he was an All-Catholic League selection in both sports). Basketball, he said, was his first love.
And he sees the impact of the sport when he is out on the field.
“I would just say basketball is a big part of that having to be patient and you know, basketball played point guard, so having to make different reads and, having to be patient with everybody out on the field, especially with your blocks developing,” Brown said.
“You know, there’s certain things that you have to read especially with the defense.”
Following last season’s foot injury, Brown continues to gain strength and recover.
“It was definitely tough but you have to stay strong mentally. And I feel like I’ve been doing a good job of that,” Brown said on Monday following practice.
“I’ve had a lot of support, you know, from the team, the training staff, doctors, and everybody. They’ve been keeping me up. And,I just took the time to improve, watching film, getting my knowledge of the game a lot better.”
[lawrence-related id=29066,29058]