Six-foot-4, 250-pound Orlando-Freedom lineman Josue Joseph committed to FAU on Friday. (Photo courtesy of Josue Joseph)
Head of the class
Orlando-Freedom lineman Josue Joseph became the first member of FAU's recruiting class of 2011 when he verbally committed to the Owls on Friday.
Originally published on
6/26/2010
by
Chuck King
When Josue Joseph finished researching FAU football, he figured there was no sense delaying the inevitable conclusion.
So on Friday afternoon he decided to pick up the phone and tell FAU running backs coach David Serna that he wanted to be the Owls’ first commitment of the 2011 recruiting class.
“I definitely wanted to be the person to start that trend, and I wanted to be one of the first guys to play in that stadium when it opens in 2011,” said Joseph, whose verbal commitment doesn't become binding until he signs a National Letter of Intent in early 2011.
Florida International, Central Florida, Middle Tennessee, Colorado and Northern Illinois had all expressed interest in the offensive/defensive lineman from Orlando-Freedom, but no one else had offered him.
The 6-foot-4, 250-pound Joseph said it was good to get an offer from FAU, but he liked the Owls’ reasoning behind the early offer even more.
Joseph said Serna told him “We recruit guys like you early, guys who are being under-recruited, because we see your potential and we think you can make it at the next level.”
Joseph received his offer from the Owls following his spring game. He’s spent the last couple months trying to find out as much as he could about Florida Atlantic.
“To be honest, when they first made me the offer, even though everyone was telling me I should wait around, I did my own research and more and more I decided that school was for me,” Joseph said.
That research included a trip to Boca Raton a couple weeks ago for the Owls’ individual player camp, a journey that helped cement his decision.
“I really liked the way the campus looked and also the location – it’s not too far and it’s not to close, either,” Joseph said. “My mom was happy. She really wanted me to go to college and I wanted to go to college also. As long as the college was in Florida she was happy.”
Recently named one of the Orlando Sentinel’s Central Florida Super 60, Joseph said another benefit to making his commitment early is that he can spend his senior season enjoying the high school game without having to worry about what the future holds.
Joseph said FAU coaches like him as an offensive tackle, but he wouldn’t mind a shot at defensive end. He’s going to have to bulk up to play either position, but the FAU coaches have told him the added muscle will come with time.
“Mainly (Serna) told me to work on getting better as a athlete and that the weight would come on naturally,” Joseph said. “He did tell me that I would probably redshirt.”