Greenwich Student Commits To Prestigious NCAA Division 1 Football Program

GREENWICH, CT — Mekai Brown, a junior at Greenwich Country Day School, committed last week to play football at the University of Southern California.

Brown announced his decision surrounded by family and chose the USC Trojans over Notre Dame, Texas A&M, Ohio State and Ole Miss, according to an announcement from GCDS.

"It was the culture, the people, the development. I loved everything about the program, and there was nowhere else I could see myself," said Brown, who visited USC in March. "I just knew it was going to be home for me."

At the signing event, Josh Newberg from Rivals, a college football recruiting network, noted that Brown had been elevated from a four-star to a five-star EDGE recruit in the latest update to their recruiting rankings.

Brown, a 6-foot-6 defensive end and outside linebacker, garnered 32 Division I offers heading into the spring of his junior year.

According to the Rivals 2027 Industry Top Football Connecticut Recruits, Brown is the No. 1 recruit in the state of Connecticut, No. 6 at his position nationally, and 33rd overall in the country.

"He's a fantastic athlete, but what most people won't know is that Mekai is in the weight room literally every morning at seven," said GCDS head football Coach John Murphy in an announcement.

Director of Athletics Tim Helstein echoed Murphy, saying, "He earned this opportunity to play at the next level through relentless work, consistency, and determination."

Brown grew up in Greenwich and enrolled at GCDS in high school, where he initially played basketball.

"Mekai uses quick footwork from the basketball court on the football field," Murphy added.

GCDS Head of School Adam Rohdie called Brown "a classic example of what makes GCDS athletics so special."

"We are an incredibly competitive program, yet we have never sacrificed our core values of scholarship and character," Rohdie said. "Mekai is a great student, an amazing athlete, and most importantly, a young man of the highest moral character. We are so proud of him, and USC is lucky to have landed him."

USC went 9-4 (7-2 Big 10) last season, and lost 30-27 in overtime to TCU in the Alamo Bowl.

The USC Trojan football program is one of the most decorated programs in NCAA history.

The Trojans have won nine national championships, with their last title coming in 2004. That title, however, was vacated due to NCAA violations involving star running back Reggie Bush.