Charles Brown will follow his cousin to Montana State. Although a family connection led to his initial recruitment, Brown will be the first of his kind for the MSU football team.
The 5-foot-11, 165-pound wide receiver from Arlington, Texas is cousins with Jaden Smith, a 6-foot-6, 195-pound wide receiver who redshirted at Montana State last season. Smith first connected Brown with Montana State recruiting coordinator and running backs coach DeNarius McGhee.
Last off-season, McGhee, himself a native of Euless, Texas in the greater Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, recruited Smith from Kennedale High to Bozeman. McGhee used a similar recruiting pitch for Brown, an explosive play-maker who caught 16 touchdown passes his senior year.
“I was talking to a lot of schools but Jayden was the one who put me on with them,” Brown said. “Once other schools started offering, Montana State offered. I just liked the coaching staff. The coaches made me feel at home.”
What makes Brown the first of his kind is the fact that he is already a part of the Bobcat football team. He graduated high school shortly after signing his National Letter of intent with the Bobcats on December 22. He joined the Bobcat football team on January 15 as the team opened up the spring semester of classes as well as began winter conditioning.
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“I had to go through summer school last year and get that out of the way so then I thought if I got in the program earlier, I would have a better chance of bringing what I have to the ‘Cats,” Brown said.
“I’m one of Coach Choate’s first early enrollees, I do believe.”
In fact, Montana State sports information believes Brown is the first early enrollee in at least the last 30 years and perhaps the first one ever at MSU.
Enrolling early means Brown can get a semester ahead on his academics while also acclimating to his new team during the off-season training program. He will also be able to participate in spring practices, giving him a leg up compared to other incoming freshmen who will not join the program until four or five weeks before the opening of fall camp in August.
“I’m a big nature guy, actually, so I love being outside,” Brown said. “I loved that about Bozeman. The campus was big and nice. And academics, the environment was nice. They explained everything to me that I needed to know. It’s something I’m ready for I feel like.”
Brown played mostly slot receiver as a sophomore and a junior for an Arlington team that won three games in the Texas 6A state playoffs and 20 games overall. As a junior, Brown caught 25 passes for 504 yards and seven touchdowns for a Colts squad that rushed for more than 215 yards per game.
Despite the somewhat modest stats, Brown was in contact with football powers from his area and abroad. It didn’t hurt that four-star cornerback Jahri Rogers was also the quarterback for the Arlington squad. Rogers ultimately spurned the Texas Longhorns, choosing Florida instead, all the while bringing recruiters from across the country to watch the Colts play.
“We play some really big football,” Brown said. “We play the best of the best, really.”
“It’s prepared me. I think it’s going to be a big impact because most of the guys I’ve played against are going to the FBS and what not.”
Brown heard from Kansas State, Texas Tech, North Texas and Texas State among FBS programs. He also was in contact with Abilene Christian and Stephen. F Austin. He fielded offers from ABU, Illinois State and Southern University before McGhee came calling.
Once McGhee identified Brown as a coveted prospect, the former Bobcat All-American quarterback went to work selling him on moving thousands of miles North to Montana.
McGhee himself came from Trinity High in Euless to Bozeman and became a program legend. He led Montana State to 37 victories, three straight Big Sky Conference championships, a pair of wins over rival Montana and two wins in the FCS playoffs.
“I love Coach McGhee, he brings a lot of energy,” Brown said. “The first thing he told me was it’s going to be different but he told me I would fit in just because of the energy I bring to the game and practices being a Texas kid. I feel like we do stuff a little different in Bozeman so it will be an adjustment but Coach McGhee said I would be ready for it.
“I also love Coach Choate,” Brown continued. “He and all the coaches bring a lot of energy. It’s great. And they stayed in touch a lot too. They didn’t just offer and disappear. I heard a lot from (wide receivers) Coach (Erik) Frazier, Coach McGhee, Coach Choate, the whole coaching staff. That was a big similarity we had because I feel like I bring a lot of energy.”
As a senior, Brown moved to playing more outside receiver. And his production exploded. He caught 58 passes for 1,322 yards and 16 touchdowns. In 2018 with Rogers playing under center, the Colts prioritized running the read option. In 2019, Rogers played exclusively on defense while Kris Sims took over at quarterback. Sims frequently looked for Brown down the field.
“The numbers speak for itself with this kid,” McGhee said at a press event on the first day of the national signing period. “Think about this: every time this young man touched the ball in the pass game, he averaged 22.8 yards per catch.
“He can do the jet sweet. He can strike you downfield on the fade route. He can catch a hitch, make a guy miss and take it to the house. He has the long speed that we want at that slot position.”
The first game of the season, Brown caught six passes for 245 yards and scored four touchdowns in a 38-28 win over Dallas Jesuit. Brown also had a game-sealing interception with three minutes left to book end an electric fourth quarter that saw him score a 99-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage and a 79-yard touchdown for Arlington’s final score.
“It was really that we were going to go deep on you,” Brown said. “I had a big game early and once we figured out that we could do that this year, we just aired it out. Last year, we were a big running team so it was a transition.”
Brown joins an MSU wide receivers group that graduates captains Kevin Kassis and Travis Jonsen. Those two combined for 122 catches, 1,451 yards and seven touchdowns for a team that completed just 225 passes for 2,527 yards and 20 touchdowns. Only Coy Steel (23 catches, 334 yards, 4 TDs) and Lance McCutcheon (13 catches, 197 yards, two scores) return with much 2019 game experience.
Sophomore Willie Patterson will be back in the mix after missing more than half the season with a shoulder injury. Sophomore Mark Estes and junior Tyrone Marshall could assume elevated roles.
“I can move around anywhere,” Brown said. “I can play Wildcat and we can make plays, really.”
“They are going to find the way to get me the ball whether it’s outside, inside, wildcat, punt return, kick return, I’m going to touch the ball to make some plays.”
And Brown along with his cousin could also push for playing time.
“J Schmitty (Smith) loves it,” Brown said. “He’s told me about it since he’s been there. He has told me how the people are, the environment, the coaches. We are just ready to take over.”
Brown, who will start out majoring in criminal justice, said his mother was nervious initially with how far Montana is from Texas. But Smith made Brown’s whole family feel more comfortable about the move.
That comfort was accentuated by two visits to Bozeman, including one in early November where Brown watched Smith catch his first career touchdown as a Bobcat.
After committing, Brown got a chance to watch Montana State make its first run to the FCS semifinals since 1984. That run came to an end just days before Brown officially signed with the Bobcats. Now he’s on campus working out with the team, relishing in his extra opportunities to make an impact on the team.
“It’s just a blessing,” Brown said. “I can’t wait to get after it. I’m going to come in and try my hardest to make an impact on the game and this team.”
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