Gators freshman WR garners national attention after insane college debut

Vernell Brown made history during Florida's 55-0 season-opening win against Long Island University on Saturday. He became the third freshman wide receiver to be a Week 1 starter as a Gator, joining Percy Harvin and Antonio Callaway in the prestigious club.

A ridiculous one-handed catch late in the first half headlined Brown's three-reception, 79-yard performance. The Odell Beckham Jr.- esque catch made waves nationally and had Gator fans buzzing.

He was on track for an even larger day, but he played merely 35 offensive snaps due to the blowout.

The grab, unsurprisingly, made SportsCenter's Top 10 plays, clocking in at the No. 1 spot.

An ascending young star making the potential play of the year offers a level of attention that the Gators and Brown are looking to cash in on, creating merchandise to commemorate the moment. Fittingly, the apparel line is called "The Catch."

Gator fans swarmed to Twitter/X to share their excitement and reactions to Brown's remarkable catch.

It's still early, but Brown is on a trajectory that may put his name in conversations with some of College Football's top young wide receivers, like Jeremiah Smith and Ryan Williams.

In addition to his three catches, Brown served as Florida's punt and kick returner, showcasing just how dangerous he is in the open field. He returned his only kick 25 yards and returned three punts for a total of 45 yards.

Still, there's already plenty of buzz about the true freshman and Gator legacy, and considering some are calling his catch the "catch of the year," it looks like Brown's slated to be more than a one-hit wonder.

It's remain to be seen what Brown's role will be like once fellow freshmen Dallas Wilson and Aiden Mizell are recovered from their respective injuries, but if Brown keeps making plays like this, it'll be hard to take him off the field.