Joshua Braun was a highly-touted 4 star OT coming out of HS, who came into the University of Florida as an early enrollee before the Orange Bowl. Listed at 6’6″, 335 LBS, Braun is looking to make an early impact on the Gators.
Arguably a top five defensive end in this year’s draft, Jon Greenard talked about Braun’s size and potential before the Orange Bowl, as he said, “Kid’s got some size. I don’t know where they are breeding these kids.”
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Q: What were some of the deciding factors that led you to Florida?
A: Originally I was committed to UGA, because it was a good fit academically and it was close to Atlanta, my brother, and his family. Both of my brothers went to college in Atlanta, so I really wanted to share similar experiences.
But two weeks before signing day, that fell through, and I realized that I didn’t want to pursue a business degree, and I didn’t want to live in Georgia for the rest of my life (jokingly). Florida is home. My dad grew up here, my oldest brother was born here, I’ve lived in Florida almost all of my life.
UF is a great school with so many opportunities. Because I am not sure what I want to do, Florida gives me the opportunity to explore multiple paths, while having access to a great education through each of them.
Coach Hevesy was also one of my deciding factors. His coaching style is what I prefer, he’s a hard ass but he also cares for his players.
Q: What were some of the factors that led you to decide to become an early enrollee?
A: It has always been my intent. My oldest brother was an early enrollee at Georgia Tech, and he was able to finish his Masters for free. I wanted the extra semester, as well as the extra spring, to try to maximize my college experience.
Q: What were some of the emotions that you felt when you first arrived on campus?
A: It was surreal, I went from a Georgia commit, to a University of Florida football player in 5 days. I immediately fit into the group of guys I would be playing with, and got to know my way around campus.
Richie Leonard was my roommate during bowl practices, so I got to know him really well. He’s one of my close friends on the offensive line. He was also my roommate for this spring.
Q: If you had one word to describe workouts with strength and conditioning coach, Coach Savage, what would you say?
A: Tough… He always says, “it’s about progress not perfection”, which is encouraging. We always have to beat what we have done, it’s constant competition against yourself every day.
Q: What was your impression on Coach Mullen when you met him for the first time?
A: He’s an expert. He knows exactly what he’s doing. He’s a matter-of-fact kind of coach, and I respect that. He gives it to us straight, holds us accountable, and makes sure that we pay the consequences for our actions.
Q: What has the team been doing during quarantine to stay ready mentally and physically?
A: We’ve all been staying active and trying to work out on our own. I’m lucky because I have access to a full weight room, so I’ve been able to get my lifts in.
Q: What are some of your personal goals for this upcoming season?
A: My personal goals for this season are to learn the what/how/why of the playbook, travel to some away games, and maintain a decent GPA during the fall.
Q: What are some of your team goals for this season?
A: Our team goals for this season are to beat Georgia, win the SEC, and win the Rose Bowl
Huge thanks to Joshua for the interview! Best of luck to him, and the Gators!
Photo: SI
