After 5 years away from the game, DE Josey returns to football, lands Miami offer

Stefan Adams
4 min read
It’s been a long and winding road for 2019 Rockledge DE Dorien Josey. Last year at this time, he was strictly a basketball player: he hadn’t played organized football since middle school. Finally, after years of nagging, the football coaches at Rockledge got Josey on the field as a defensive end for the 2017 season, and the results spoke for themselves: 45 tackles, 16 sacks, and 20 TFL. Not bad for someone who hasn’t played the sport in half a decade.

“Yeah it’s been 5 years, but I did pretty good,” Josey said. “My coaches been asking me to play since freshman year and my mom told me to give it a try.”

Although he is still an unknown to the recruiting services as an unranked prospect, his explosive return to the gridiron has earned Josey plenty of attention from D-I college coaches. The rising senior has now received offers from Miami, Georgia, Ole Miss, UCF, USF, FIU, and Western Kentucky, while the Florida Gators are also close to offering as well.

“I hear a lot from Miami, Florida, I’m hearing a lot from USF,” Josey said. “Haven’t really heard from Georgia as much lately.”

The 6’4” 238 pound end was on Miami’s campus for Junior Day as an invited recruit recently and talked about the impression that the program made on him.

“I learned a lot about the program, it was good,” Josey said on his UM visit. “When I got down there, I watched the spring practice, it was really intense. It seemed like it was a family down there. They do a lot of supportive things about life and there’s some good coaches. They get on you about school, they don’t slack off, they don’t take days off, and they have a lot of mentors and tutors there for the athletes. I really like Miami.”

Another aspect about UM’s campus that appeals to Josey? The brand new on-campus housing that is planned to open shortly.

“There are gonna be some new dorms for the class of 2019 when I’d be there, so if I do go there, I’d be the first to live in it.”

The Canes’ defensive coaching staff love Josey’s game and Josey can see himself fitting into Manny Diaz’s fast and physical defense.

“They like the way I play, they say they like my athleticism and how I can get into the backfield and use my speed,” Josey said. “It’s the coaches and the campus (that set Miami apart). I really like their defense, they’re fast.”

His visit tour has not been limited to the Canes, though: Josey has been busy making trips to see other interested parties, checking in at Gainesville this past weekend, and he also plans to be in Tampa this week.

“I went to UF on Saturday and I’ll be going to USF to visit on Thursday,” Josey said.

Being so new to the recruiting process, it’s likely other schools will get involved with Josey at some point soon, so he isn’t planning any kind of quick decision and will let everything play out a bit. Academics appear to be the top priority for Josey both in his senior year of high school and in his future college. Josey also isn’t ruling out being a two-sport athlete at the next level, and some coaches (not UM) are telling him he will be able to do both.

“Well, for senior year, I’m gonna keep my grades up, that’s the most important thing. School is first,” Josey said. “I’m doing football and basketball this year, a lot of schools said I could do both.”

(Only game-by-game highlights available)
 

Comments (18)

Interesting prospect. 45 tackles, 16 sacks, and 20 TFL is impressive, especially when you look at the caliber of central Florida teams he did that against - Viera, Palm Bay, Osceola, Cocoa, Merritt Island (down year), Cardinal Gibbons. Really high level of competition for this kid and he performed well.

Most high schools in Brevard lean heavy to UF so will be interesting to see what happens when he gets that offer (which he will).
 
Serious production for a “return” season. Could be an exciting prospect to watch develop
The last few years there seems to be more cane fans than gator fans in Brevard. Some of it is we are doing better on the field than they are .hopefully that will help us in recruiting the area
 
Last time we offered someone from Rockledge was about a decade ago - maybe during the Coker years.

I think it was a DL, but can't remember the name.

Anyway, good to have lots of options along the DL in state.

We'll end up with a solid and large DL group in this class and hopefully have the numbers back where they should be.
 
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Nice article Stefan.

I like that this kid has his priorities straight. I think coaches telling him he can play two sports is just a recruiting tactic. Sure, he will be allowed to play two sports in college, but there's been very few that have played their entire college career in two sports and be productive in both. Usually after their freshman year, the competition forces them to choose one sport or get left behind on the depth chart.

I think the coaches should have an honest conversation with him that playing two sports in college at a high level is a pipe dream for most. Maybe he is the exception. IDK, but if that's his deciding factor he should know the reality and not be sold a pipe dream by the other schools.
 
Nice article Stefan.

I like that this kid has his priorities straight. I think coaches telling him he can play two sports is just a recruiting tactic. Sure, he will be allowed to play two sports in college, but there's been very few that have played their entire college career in two sports and be productive in both. Usually after their freshman year, the competition forces them to choose one sport or get left behind on the depth chart.

I think the coaches should have an honest conversation with him that playing two sports in college at a high level is a pipe dream for most. Maybe he is the exception. IDK, but if that's his deciding factor he should know the reality and not be sold a pipe dream by the other schools.
I want guys committed 100% to football.. You see baseball playing Malik as example numero uno!
 
At his size, he’s either the next Sir Charles or his future is on the gridiron.
 
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I want guys committed 100% to football.. You see baseball playing Malik as example numero uno!
That is exactly my point. Either you are a Deon Sanders or Bo Jackson, or you get left behind in both sports forcing you to choose one sport at the college level.
 
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I was comparing him to our current de in Demetrius Jackson. Demetrius Jackson never was a hybrid dt. Thats why i was confused
Oh, no, I was just adding that on. Same way Demetrius isn't one of those hybrids. Demetrius is a pure SDE.
Was just saying it seems like lately a lot of the SDEs we've been recruiting are guys who's future is at 3tDT, not sticking with DE.
 
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Oh, no, I was just adding that on. Same way Demetrius isn't one of those hybrids. Demetrius is a pure SDE.
Was just saying it seems like lately a lot of the SDEs we've been recruiting are guys who's future is at 3tDT, not sticking with DE.


Got you
 
Oh, no, I was just adding that on. Same way Demetrius isn't one of those hybrids. Demetrius is a pure SDE.
Was just saying it seems like lately a lot of the SDEs we've been recruiting are guys who's future is at 3tDT, not sticking with DE.

Doesn't sound right at all. Ingraham is just like Bethel - classic SSDE/DT tweener that can give you reps at both positions. Ingraham will max out around 275lbs on a 6'3 frame and be the next Chad Thomas for us.
 
Doesn't sound right at all. Ingraham is just like Bethel - classic SSDE/DT tweener that can give you reps at both positions. Ingraham will max out around 275lbs on a 6'3 frame and be the next Chad Thomas for us.
How doesn't it sound right? Its the truth. Think of the SDEs we've recruited lately - those two bums that went to FSU are literally that same mold. You mentioned Bethel. Now you're mentioning Ingraham. Thats literally proving my point.

But its not just about H/W.
 
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