Nation’s No. 1 prospect makes Buford debut in win over nationally ranked opponent
BUFORD — With his team up a touchdown midway through the first quarter, Jalen Brewster trotted back out to the field.
The 6-foot-3, 300-pound defensive lineman — the No. 1 senior prospect in the country — was making his Wolves debut after transferring from Cedar Hill in north Texas. He arrived at Buford a couple weeks ago, but hadn’t gained eligibility until earlier this week.
As Brewster took the field — in a game that matched up two nationally ranked teams in Buford and Central of Miami, Florida — for the third defensive drive of the game, the student section chanted his name. Decked out in red, white and blue for the anniversary of 9/11, the hoard of students yelled out “Ja-len” while the defensive tackle put his hand on the ground.
On the second play of the drive, Central ran to the right and fumbled the ball. Brewster scooped it up and started to run down the field before stumbling out of bounds.
Pandemonium.
The entire home side cheered as the bulk of the Wolves mobbed their newest teammate as he made his way to the sideline.
It was a celebration for much of the night for the big man as Buford defeated the Florida powerhouse 18-7 Thursday.
“It’s been a hard experience, but I’m getting used to it,” Brewster said of transferring schools mid-year. “It was great. It was a great experience. I’m getting used to the new program and the adjustments.”
Brewster has been committed to Texas Tech since last October and transferred to Buford to ensure early graduation, which will allow early enrollment in college.
Buford coach Bryant Appling knew he was getting an athlete on the field, but he’s been most impressed with Brewster’s off-the-field knowledge and work ethic.
“I’m more proud of the kid he is and how he’s responded to his teammates,” Appling said. “He’s humble. He’s not loud or anything. It isn’t about him. He’s just trying to do what we do. He’s having fun. I’m more impressed with how he carries himself in the classroom. He does a great job in there.”
In his Buford debut, Brewster finished with a tackle, a couple of quarterback hurries and a fumble recovery. He also lined up in the wildcat for a direct snap on fourth down before a false start penalty forced the Wolves to punt.
Brewster suffered an apparent leg injury on the first defensive play of the second half. He spent the rest of the drive getting it stretched out.
“I just want to be the best player I can be,” Brewster said. “They’ve got great coaching that has put a lot of people in the league. Being coached by these people will help get me to the next level and where I want to be.”
Wearing No. 29, Brewster will finish out his high school career and then head to Lubbock. While he said there are things on the field he wants to improve before heading to Lubbock, he also wants to enjoy being a high school senior. He’s made friends, both on his team and in the school. One member of the student section even painted Brewster’s number on his shirt.
Brewster isn’t the first transfer to join Appling’s team and he won’t be the last. For Buford, the head coach just hopes to continue the standout lineman’s trajectory into being someone great.
“It’s more about him and getting him engrained in how we do things,” Appling said. “He’s learning. He’s a smart kid. He’s learning really fast. He knows what to do. I didn’t notice any busts out of him tonight, which is a hard thing to do because he’s only been out here for a couple weeks. His time is going to come.”