Freak of the Week: Elijah Brown

Mater Dei's next star quarterback takes home Freak of the Week honors

"Freak" is a term thrown around too much in the sports world, but sometimes, it's the first phrase that crowds the cranium when a gaudy athletic feat takes place.

What about an entire game's worth of head-turning and gasps?

SI All-American continues its salute to these dominant high school football players in a weekly feature, aptly titled 'Freak of the Week,' going out to a remarkable Friday night performance. 

When SBLive's No. 1 and No. 2 teams collide on the same week, naturally our eyes were drawn there in the search for the next honoree. As the game wore on, it became and clear and relatively easy selection. 

Santa Ana (Calif.)  sophomore quarterback Elijah Brown has been named Freak of the Week after helping the Monarchs defend their top ranking in doubling up Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco, 42-21 on Friday night. Brown threw for five touchdowns in the win, completing 13 of 19 passes for 263 yards along the way. 

“I’ve always been cool and collected like that,” Brown told SBLive's Connor Morrissette. “My teammates make everything a lot easier for me to go out there and do what I do.” 

Going back to his freshman year, Brown is 9-0 as a starter for Mater Dei. He’s completed 78% of his passes for 1,809 yards, 26 touchdowns and just one interception so far in his career. 

After leading Mater Dei to a 5-0 record during California’s COVID-19 shortened spring football season, Brown has somehow gotten even better this fall much to the surprise of his teammates. 

“Elijah has matured a lot and that didn’t seem like it was possible in the spring,” Mater Dei senior receiver and Notre Dame commit CJ Williams said after the victory. “His level of play has improved in terms of decision making and things of that nature. He comes out and he’s still that cool and collected guy and he’s somehow improved on it.

"I don’t know how it’s possible, but he did it.”

Brown has emerged as one of the premiere quarterback prospects in the class of 2024 and the Freak of the Week performance has already yielded tangible results. The sophomore, listed at 6'2", 185 pounds, has been offered by USC and Ole Miss over the last several days. Arizona, Utah and Pitt had previously extended an offer his way. 

Watch Brown's FOTW effort below:

2021 Freak of the Week Archive

Week 0 - Pike Road (Ala.) Quarterback Iverson Hooks

Week 1 - Port St. Lucie (Fla.) Running Back Eden James

Week 2 - Gautier (Miss.) High School Quarterback Kaden Irving

Week 3 - Millville (N.J.) High School Running Back LeQuint Allen

Week 4 - Santa Rosa Beach (Fla.) South Walton Tight End Pearce Spurlin III

Week 5 - Savannah (Ga.) Benedictine Military Quarterback Holden Geriner

Have a Freak of the Week nominee? Tweet @SIAllAmerican each weekend for a chance to be featured!