JUCO receiver has a high ceiling
Grand Rapids (Mich.) Community College moved their record to 10-1 on the season with a 35-7 win over College of DuPage last weekend. The Raiders now advance to the Midwest title game against Ellsworth C.C. and one GRCC player looking to make an impact is wide receiver Brandon Newbern.
The 6-4, 205-pound Newbern has all the physical tools to one day play in the NFL, but his experience in the game is fairly limited. He hails from Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis, but never played football as a prep.
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"The only thing I did at Ben Davis was run track," Newbern said. "They wanted me to play, but I just couldn't get it right. I never really took school serious and now that I know what I did run I've learned from that."
Newbern has adjusted his priorities and maintains close to a 3.0 GPA at GRCC. He understands that attention to his academics could allow him to achieve great things on the football field.
"I know if I keep working, I could play in the League," Newbern said. "I know that is everybody's dream, but I think if I keep working I could do that."
Newbern is not only a big body at the wide receiver position, but he also possesses 4.40 speed in the 40-yard dash. That size and speed combination has generated mailings from BCS Conference programs like Ole Miss, Iowa State and Cincinnati, but the most interest is being shown by MAC schools.
"The main ones right now are Bowling Green and Western Michigan," Newbern said. "Western said they want me for next year and they really want to throw me the ball. Bowling Green is pretty much saying the same thing."
Newbern also plans on playing basketball this winter for GRCC and continue to develop his game in the weight room and on the field.
"I feel that I am Randy Moss without all the other stuff," Newbern said. "I go after deep balls, but I can catch the ball over the middle too. I've been working on catching the short balls and concentrating on looking the ball in right now."
JCGridiron.com ranks GRCC as the No. 5 junior college program in the country. Newbern has contributed to his team's success by tallying 11 receptions for 249 yards (22.6 yards per catch) and a touchdown while playing in seven of his team's 11 games.