The Florida Gators won their season opener as expected against LIU. During the game, however, Vernell Brown III caught a deep pass from Tramell Jones Jr. that kicked off the “catch of the year” conversation just one game into the season.
Bleacher Report was the first to ignite the discussion after Brown III’s touchdown catch in the second quarter when the Gators were already crushing Long Island 31-0. But not everyone agreed with Bleacher Report’s headline, stating it could be the “catch of the year.”
“Agreed that was a great ‘catch,’ however, if he ran the route correctly it would have been a walk-in touchdown with no need for the theatrics. Just saying,” one fan wrote in response to the hype.
Brown III Compared to Odell Beckham Jr.
The pass that Brown III caught is remarkably similar to the famous play that helped make Odell Beckham Jr. a household name. Although the plays were executed in different scenarios—one in college football and the other in the NFL—they are very similar in the athletic, single-handed way the ball was caught.
For this being his first season as a college player, Brown III is already attracting a lot of attention. During his last high school season, he finished with 1,508 yards as a wide receiver and 11 touchdowns, which was very similar to his stats from the 2023-2024 season.
Regarding his first game with the Gators, Hugh Green of AthlonSports revealed, “Brown started the game at wide receiver, becoming just the third true freshman wideout to start a season opener in Florida history.”
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Can Brown III's catch be considered the best of the year?
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