It may be a while before we know if Jason Brown has won the Jackson State football starting quarterback position, but we already know he’s winning hearts in the city.
Brown announced on Wednesday that he had raised better than $3,000 in donations for a non-profit that collects canned goods for families in need and provides scholastic supplies and tutoring for Jackson Public Schools students.
“Super Proud to say that today I was able to present a check to We Will Go Ministries for over $3,100 for the food drive I held back in March as well as all these canned goods,” Brown tweeted on Wednesday. “Thank you all so much for everybody that made this possible.”
A Fredricksburg, VA product, Jason Brown was a three-star prospect on the 247 Sports scale back in 2017. He got looks from a few FBS programs, but no offers, and ultimately ended up at Saint Francis. He would redshirt as a freshman that season, and play sparingly as a redshirt freshman in 2018 before having a breakout season in 2019. He was named a FCS All-American after leading the Northeast Conference with 3,084 passing yards, completing 251 of 403 passes (62.3%) with 28 TDs and six INTs. He also added one rushing score. He posted a trio of 300-yard passing games for the Red Flash, including a career-best 383 yards vs. Sacred Heart.
The next year-and-a-half he sat as St. Francis didn’t participate in the 2021 spring season. By that time he was off to test his fortunes in the SEC at South Carolina. After starting the season as a backup he was inserted against Florida in a game where he went 14-of-24 for 175 yards and two touchdowns. He remained the starter for the remaining three games of the season. Brown was 60-of-108 for 721 yards, tossing eight touchdowns and six interceptions his lone season in Columbia. He entered the transfer portal after Spencer Rattler landed at South Carolina, returning to his home state.
It wasn’t exactly the homecoming Brown had envisioned, as playing time was scant. He completed 7-of-13 passes totaling 65 passing yards in three games as a reserve at Virginia Tech.
Now he’s with Jackson State football, and is expected to compete for the starting quarterback position vacated by Shedeur Sanders. Head coach TC Taylor has not yet announced a starter, but Brown is the most experienced of the quarterbacks on the roster. And he’s likely won himself a few fans with his generosity.