Football Welcomes 28 to the Incoming Class of 2027
5/2/2023
Brown head football coach James Perry ‘00 has announced the Bears’ 28-member incoming Class of 2027. The incoming class features 16 offensive players and 12 defensive players from 17 different states.
"I am excited to welcome 28 student-athletes to Brown," Perry said. "I look forward to them coming to campus and know they will make great additions to the University and our locker room. Recruiting is a team effort, so I would like to extend a thank you and congratulations to the staff for their efforts in recruiting this terrific group. I look forward to seeing them on campus in August."
OFFENSE
Jackson Bennett
RB – 6’0 – 205 – Windermere, Fla. – Windermere Prep
Before Brown: Graduated from Windermere Prep as the school record holder in 12 different statistical categories, including total yards (3,198), career rushing yards (2,351), rushing attempts (307), career points (244) and total touchdowns (39)…Earned the school’s Performance of the Year Award after scoring seven touchdowns in one game as a sophomore in 2020…Named Windermere Prep’s Freshman and Sophomore Male Athlete of the Year…Also played lacrosse where he graduated as the school’s career leader in points (291), goals (194), assists (97), and ground balls (387).
Personal: Son of Dahlia and Brooks Bennett…Has two older sisters, Kaeley and Payton, both of whom played lacrosse at Rhodes College.
Why Brown?: “A combination of the elite education and athletics made the opportunity almost impossible to pass on. Also, the relationships with recruiting coach.”
Kyai Cook
WR – 6’0 – 195 – Duncan, S.C. - Byrnes
Before Brown: 2022 all-state, all-conference and all-region selection out of Brynes High School…Finished his senior season with 63 catches for 913 yards and 12 receiving TDs, and finished with 1,342 all-purpose yards and 13 total TDs…Helped lead Byrnes to a 9-4 record and the third round of the state playoffs in 2022… Finished his varsity career with 1,847 career all-purpose yards and 23 total TDs…Also a member of the track and field team where he earned all-state, all-region and All-America honors…Helped his AAU track team place sixth in the nation in the 4x100m (40.82)…Held high school PRs of 10.82 seconds in the 100 meters and 21.82 in the 200 meters.
Personal: Son of Fred Cook…Has two siblings, Kwai and Knai.
Why Brown?: “Wanted to be the first in my family to make it to an Ivy League school.”
Brady Dever
QB – 6’2 – 185 – Rosenberg, Texas – Fort Bend Christian Academy
Before Brown: Two-sport athlete in baseball and football…Finished his career 592-for-964 for 10,315 yards, 128 touchdowns and 12 INTs over three seasons (2020-2022)…Led team to a state title…Two-time all-state selection in 2021 and 2022…Two-time district MVP…Two-time TAPPS D2 MVP…TAPPS D2 Offensive Player of the Year…Two-time First Team All-District…Two-time Vype Player of the Year…Two-time Team MVP…Graduated as the school’s all-time leader in all passing categories…Played club baseball for Hunter Pence Baseball Academy…National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, English Honor Society and Spanish Student of the Year.
Personal: Son of Lisa and Jack Dever…High school teammates with Columbia’s Braylon Gardoni.
Why Brown?: “Brown is an amazing school! Brown is close to my family and every time I visited it felt like home! The coaching staff for both football and baseball were heavily involved and I felt wanted, so it was an easy fit!”
Tyler Emans
RB – 5’11 – 200 – St. Cloud, Fla. - Harmony
Before Brown: Three-time first team all-county selection…Two-time Harmony High Student-Athlete of the Year…Named team’s offensive MVP…Also competed in the 100m and 4x100m relay as a member of the track team.
Why Brown?: “I choose Brown for the academic freedom that it provides and a great path to my future career.”
Kai Faucher
OL – 6’5 – 265 – Los Angeles, Calif. – Harvard Westlake
Before Brown: Three-time All-Del Rey League First Team selection and 2022 Del Rey League Lineman MVP honoree.
Personal: Son of Cory Faucher and Kimberly Carvalho-Faucher…Has one sibling, Kahala…Hobbies include being a jazz saxophonist.
Why Brown?: “Openness, feel and prestige.”
Tyson Holloway
OL – 6’3 – 275 – Rockingham, N.C. – Richmond Senior
Before Brown: Two-time all-conference selection…Team captain…Member of the Beta Club, National Honor Society and School Council.
Personal: Son of Erin and Donald Holloway.
Why Brown?: “Everything about Brown was very welcoming.”
Charlie Hines
OL – 6’3 – 265 – San Diego, Calif. - Lincoln
Before Brown: Two-sport athlete in football and lacrosse at Lincoln High School…First Team All-CIF selection…First Team All-Western League…Open CIF Sportsmanship Team Captain…Graduated in the top 10 in his class and winner of the Willie J. Jones Most Inspirational Player Award.
Personal: Son of Lehua Pe’a.
Why Brown?: “The Open Curriculum was big for me. Also, simply the connections and opportunities I could encounter while attending and after graduating. Football has an expiration date so setting myself up for after football was huge.”
Pierce Leverett
TE – 6’4 – 230 – Houston, Texas – St. John’s
Before Brown: Touchdown Club of Houston Preseason Private School Team selection…Club of Houston Ironman Award honoree.…Also played power forward and center on the basketball team…National Merit Commended Scholar.
Personal: Son of Jane and Larry Leverett…Has two brothers, Lars and Flynt…Played high school football with Brown teammate John Perdue, and was an opponent of Brown classmate Brady Dever.
Why Brown?: “The open curriculum, coaches, the campus, location, and facilities.”
Levi Linowes
TE – 6’3 – 210 – Atlanta, Ga. – Riverwood Int’l Charter School
Before Brown: Three-sports athlete in football, basketball and track at Riverwood Int’l Charter School…2022 all-state honorable mention and first team all-region honoree as a senior…Finished his junior and senior seasons with 100 catches for 1,496 yards and 14 touchdowns…Principal’s List and honor roll student.
Personal: Son of Jennifer Wand and Steven Linowes…Has four siblings, Alexis, Micah, Jaren and Simon.
Why Brown?: “A high level of athletics and an opportunity to earn an elite education. It felt like a good fit due to the Open Curriculum and the support that the environment provides.”
Michael McGhee
RB - 5’11 – 190 – Greenwich, Conn. – Rye Country Day (N.Y.)
Before Brown: Honorable mention all-state selection in 2021…Two-time All-MIFL (all-league) honoree in 2021 and 2022..Student Diversity Leadership Conference selection in 2021.
Personal: Son of Sharon and Ray McGhee…Has a brother, Raishaun, who attends Harvard.
Why Brown?: “Brown's Open Curriculum program and the freedom to explore possible majors, along with Brown University’s campus and facilities.”
James Murphy
QB – 6’4 – 190 – Reading, Mass. – Reading Memorial
Before Brown: Four-year varsity starter at Reading Memorial High School…Finished his career third all-time in state history in passing yards and sixth in passing touchdowns…Graduated as the school record holder in passings yards (career, season) and touchdowns (career, season, game)…Three-time Middlesex League MVP…2022 Division 2 Player of the Year…2022 First Team All-State…2021 Second Team All-State…Three-time Boston Globe and Boston Herald All-Scholastic honoree…Also played basketball and was a three-year starter and team captain.
Personal: Son of Allyson and Jim Murphy…Has a brother Jack, and sister, Kate…His father Jim attended Northeastern ’98, spent the 1998 season with the Barcelona Dragons of NFL Europe, and parts of the 1998 and 1999 seasons on the New England Patriots roster. He also spent five years as the head coach at Merrimack (2003-07).
Why Brown?: “World class academics and athletics combined with great people, teachers, coaches makes Brown the best school in the world.”
Michael Nesbit
WR – 6’4 – 185 – Charlotte, N.C. – South Mecklenburg
Before Brown: Three-sport athlete in football, basketball and track and field…Blue-Grey All-American…CMS All-Star Football Player of the Year nominee…CMS Wide Receiver of the Year nominee…Queen City All-Star…Two-time all-conference selection…Played as a wing on basketball and competed in the high jump and long jump in track and field.
Personal: Son of Tara and Jamar Nesbit…Has one brother, Bryson…His father Jamar played at South Carolina and spent 11 seasons (1999-2009) in the NFL with the Panthers, Jaguars and Saints, winning Super Bowl XLIV with the Saints…Bryson is a member of the football team at UNC (Class of 2025).
Why Brown?: “Brown will give me the opportunity to make a name for myself athletically and in the business world after college.”
Charlie Pietrosante
OL – 6’5 – 275 – Bloomfield Township, Mich. – Brother Rice
Before Brown: AP First Team All-State selection as a senior…Detroit News All-North honoree… Nominated for the Detroit Free Press and USA Today Offensive Player of the Year…MHSFCA Academic All-State selection…National Honor Society member.
Personal: Son of Julie and Nicholas Judd Pietrosante…Has two brothers, Nicholas and Joey, and a sister, Katie…His father played football at Hillsdale College (1990-94)…His grandfather Nicholas Pietrosante played at Notre Dame and in the NFL with the Lions form 1959-65 and the Browns from 1966-67.
Why Brown?: “I choose Brown because I wanted to be pushed not only physically but academically as well. I know Brown will allow me to excel not only on the field but in the classroom too. I also knew that Brown would be the best school to help me set up for life after football.”
Najih Rahman
WR - 5’11 – 195 – Red Bank, N.J. – Red Bank Catholic
Before Brown: Spent three seasons on the varsity team at Red Bank Catholic…2022 second team all-state honoree…Three-time All-Shore Conference and first team all-division selection…First Team NJ All-Zone team (2020 and 2022)…Finished his final three years at Red Bank with 96 catches for 1,332 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Personal: Son of Sabrina Brown.
Why Brown?: “High academics and the future of the football program.”
Ben Taylor
TE – 6’4 – 230 – Lake Oswego, Ore. – Choate Rosemary Hall (Conn.)
Before Brown: 2022 All-Founders League selection at Choate-Rosemary Hall (Conn.)…Also competed in track and field at Lake Oswego High (Ore.), earning All-Three Rivers League accolades in the 100m, 200m, long jump, 4x100m relay and the 4x400m relay…School record holder in the 4x200m relay, sprint medley relay and the 800 meters.
Personal: Son of Lisa and Kenneth Taylor…Has two brothers, Marcus and Jake.
Why Brown?: “I chose Brown for the high academic standard where I could still continue athletics at a very high level. With my family, I have been visiting Brown and the Northeast since I was a little kid. The rich history, campus, and the people have made me feel like I was in a place that would allow me to grow. Brown checked every box for me.”
Danny Thompson
OL - 6’4 – 295 – Scituate, Mass. - Scituate
Before Brown: Member of the football and track and field teams at Scituate…Four year varsity starter and senior captain in football…Helped lead team to the Division 4 state title and the Patriot League title as a junior in 2021…Selected to play in the Massachusetts Shriners All-Star Game as a senior…Member of the Gridiron Club of Boston’s Super 26 All-State Team as a senior…Earned three Patriot League All-Star honors in both football and track…National Honor Society and Word Language Honor Society member.
Personal: Son of Nancy and Mark Thompson…Has a brother, Jack, and sister, Lauren.
Why Brown?: “I choose Brown as it offer me the opportunity to challenge myself both academically and on the football field. Furthermore, the legacy of tradition combined with a strong sense community, was something I wanted to be a part of.”
DEFENSE
Nico Bossi
DL – 6’3 - 220 – Clarks Summit, Pa. – Abington Heights
Before Brown: Selected to play in the Pennsylvania East-West Football Game as a senior…2022 First Team All-Region selection…Accumulated 101 tackles and 10 TFL, three sacks and five pass breakups as a senior in 2022…2021 Lackawanna Conference First Team selection…Also played volleyball and basketball…2022 Lackawanna League First Team honoree and 2022 all-region selection as a middle hitter in volleyball…National Honor Society member.
Personal: Son of Kathy and Gray-Paul…Has three siblings, Gray-Paul, Sienna and Luca.
Why Brown?: “To play at a high level football program but also because of the level of education I will get and the professors that will be there.”
Karell “Cap” Davis
DB – 5’10 – 170 – Cincinnati, Ohio – Archbishop Moeller
Before Brown: First Team All-Greater Catholic League selection….Finished his senior season with 48 tackles, one interception and eight pass breakups…Also a member of the track & field team at Archbishop Moeller…Honor roll student.
Personal: Born Karell Davis…Son of Roxanna Pell…Has three siblings, Tyrell, Romel and Jazel.
Why Brown?: “My visit went great. I loved the coaching staff and I feel like it was the right place for me.”
Tommy Dunn
LB – 6’3 – 210 – Shaker Heights’ Ohio – Phillips Exeter Academy (N.H.)
Before Brown: Attended Shaker Heights High School and Phillips Exeter Academy…2021 Division I First Team All-State (Ohio) selection…2022 All-NEPSAC selection while at Phillips-Exeter…Finished his career at Shaker Heights with seven sacks, eight forced fumbles, seven pass breakups and one interception over 23 games from 2019-2021.
Personal: Son of William Dunn…Has two brothers, Avery and Billy, and two sisters, Claire and Autumn…Billy (Tufts ’23) and Avery (Michigan State ’24) both played college football…His sister Autumn graduated from Dartmouth (2013) and Penn Law (2020)…His father is a Harvard alum (1976).
Why Brown?: “The open curriculum really feeds one of my biggest personality traits, which is my curiosity.”
Kalyl Lindsey
DB – 5’11 – 185 – Framingham, Mass – The Rivers School
Before Brown: First Team All-Independent School League selection as a junior and senior (2021 and 2022)…Two-time First Team All-NEPSAC honoree…Named to the Boston Scholastic Team and Boston Globe Team.
Personal: Son of Dellren and Randdy Lindsey…Has a brother, Amir, and a sister, Layla.
Why Brown?: “I chose Brown because it gave me the best opportunity to succeed as a human, not just an athlete. It felt like home when talking to people.”
Max Malo
LB – 6’2 – 220 – Bellingham, Wash. - Sehome
Before Brown: Four-year letterwinner in both football and lacrosse at Sehome High School…Three-time all-league honoree as a sophomore, junior and senior…Two-time team captain…Totaled 146.5 tackles, 17.5 TFLs, and 6.5 career sacks…Also had 43 career receptions and three touchdowns…Led team in tackles as a junior and senior…In lacrosse, a three-time all-league honoree and two-time captain.
Personal: Son of Megan and Greg Malo…Younger brother of teammate Tim Malo ’25…His father Greg played football at Western Washington (1991-94) and for the Barcelona Dragons of NFL Europe (1997-99)…Mother Megan played volleyball at Univ. of San Francisco (1991-94)…Grandfather Tony Malo played basketball at UC Riverside.
Why Brown?: “I wanted to receive a top tier education while playing D1 Football.”
Malachi Marshall-Harris
LB – 6’2 – 190 – Apopka, Fla. – Lake Highland Prep
Before Brown: Four-year letterwinner at Lakeland High Prep…Finished his career with 203 tackles, 43 sacks, 61 TFLs, six forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and three INTs…Scored three defensive touchdowns as a senior in 2022.
Personal: Son of Sarah Marshall.
Why Brown?: “I love the academic opportunities along with the brotherhood of the football team.”
Stefano Montella
LB – 6’0 – 215 – Long Valley, N.J. – West Morris Central
Before Brown: Finalist for the 2022 NJ Gatorade Player of the Year…Super Football Conference Player of the Year…NJ Athletics Offensive Player of the Year…Two-time NJ.com First Team All-State…Two-time USA Today First Team All-State…Two-time Morris-Sussex Sports Player of the Year…Two-time First Team All-Group Three selection…Two-time first team all-conference…Selected as the 2022 Morris County Offensive Player of the Year…Helped lead West Morris Central to the regional title in 2021 and the sectional title in 2022.
Personal: Son of Andrea and Stefano Montella…Has two brothers, Felice and Antonio.
Why Brown?: “First school to offer me and has the best coaching staff I’ve seen. Also, Brown has the highest academics as well as high athletics and is in one of the nicest towns in the country. I went with my gut feeling which was to come to Brown.”
Jamari Myers
DB – 6’1 – 185 – Allen, Texas. - St. Paul’s (N.H.)
Before Brown: 2022 First Team All-Evergreen Conference selection…2022 All-NEPSAC Honorable Mention.
Personal: Son of Jennifer Duchard…Has five siblings, James Guy (Bentley football ’26), Makaila, Ariella, Jaxon and Bryson.
Why Brown?: “As a football player with a passion for learning and a desire to be in a diverse environment, I am confident that Brown University is the perfect choice for me. Brown's emphasis on academic freedom and intellectual exploration will allow me to pursue my interests while still challenging myself academically. I know that the university's diverse community, with students and faculty from all over the world, will provide a rich cultural experience that will broaden my perspective on and off the field.”
Ike Odimegwu
DL – 6’3 – 215 – Coppell, Texas - Coppell
Before Brown: First team all-area selection as a senior in 2022…Named the 2022 District 6A Defensive MVP…6A All-District selection as a linebacker in 2021…Finished his junior and senior seasons with 149 tackles (66 solo), five forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries.
Personal: Son of Raymond and Blessing Odimegwu…Has two siblings, Obi and Uche.
Why Brown?: “I loved the Open Curriculum that the university offers. I also enjoyed my visit where I met my future teammates and coaches and knew that Brown was the right place.”
Brock Owen
DB – 6’1 - 190 – Cookeville, Tenn. - Cookeville
Before Brown: Two-sport athlete in football and lacrosse…Set the school record for receptions in a season (53) as a senior, adding nine TDs, 700 receiving yards, three INTs in 2022…Two-time first team all-region and a team captain…Graduated magna cum laude in the top 10 percent of his class…Member of the Boys State delegate.
Personal: Son of Tammie and Dane Owen…Younger brother of teammate Stockton Owen ’25…Has another brother, Blake, and a sister, Taylor Anne.
Why Brown?: “High academic standards, competitive DI football team, and the Open Curriculum.”
Karl Schmalz
DL – 6’4 - 245 – Carol Stream, Ill. – Notre Dame College Prep
Before Brown: Two-sport athlete in football and wrestling…Two-time academic all-state honoree in both football and wrestling…Two-time ESCC All-Conference honoree and ESCC Defensive Player of the Year honoree in 2021 and 2022…Four-year letterwinner in wrestling where he was a three-time all-state wrestler, finishing sixth as a sophomore and third as a junior and senior…National Honor Society member…Graduated summa cum laude.
Personal: Son of Vicky and Mike Schmalz…Has three sisters, Megan, Kate and Emma.
Why Brown?: “The incredible community and connections/bonds that you can build when you are there.”
Camryn Williams-Dalton
DB – 5’11 – 170 – Charlotte, N.C. – West Charlotte
Before Brown: First team all-conference honoree as a senior…Also a member of the track and field team, competing in the sprints and long jump.
Personal: Son of Cylia Williams and Thomas Dalton…Has four siblings, Tre, Kyrie, Justice and Jadon.
Why Brown?: “I chose Brown not just for football but the academic opportunities it offers and the connections I can make for the future.”
