Lake Braddock WR Maxwell James (Photo: Sheridan King/recruitNoVA)
Maxwell James Commits to James Madison
by Marc Goldstein, recruitNoVA
On Monday afternoon, Lake Braddock senior Maxwell James (2021 WR/S 6-2 185) committed to James Madison University to play for the Dukes.
He is a dynamic receiver who has made a name for himself alongside Monmouth commit wide receiver Remi Johnson, as well as quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. who has signed to play at Old Dominion. The trio have made the Bruins into a powerhouse in recent years, and all of them have gotten their well deserved attention from college coaches.
Maxwell has been a dominant force for the Bruins in his career there. While he still has one season left of eligibility, he has career numbers of 31 catches for 694 yards, and 9 receiving touchdowns. Maxwell characterizes himself as a physical, ball hawking wideout who can catch anything near him, saying, “I think one of my biggest strengths is the fact that I can catch anything. I am good at catching balls away from my body, and I am a good route runner, as well as being helpful in the running game with blocking and that stuff.” He also talks about how he is a vertical threat, and excels at breaking down coverages at the line, knowing just how to make a play against any coverage that he is faced with.
Committing to James Madison may not make national headlines, but in Virginia, there are few bigger honors than going to play for the Dukes. Outside of maybe playing for Virginia Tech or UVA, the Dukes have made an incredible program from the depths of the FCS level. They have been a big time contender for the past decade or so, and even won a National Championship. Committing to JMU is something that is a huge deal to football players, similar to committing to North Dakota State, another FCS powerhouse. The Dukes seem to produce not only one of the best teams that are shrouded by the limelight given to the big name schools in the state, but they have one of the best, most underrated atmospheres in the state, let alone the country. Bridgeforth Stadium is one of the premier places to watch a football game, and it is incredibly enticing for players to go play there in front of 25,000 raucous fans.
At James Madison, there are no givens for Maxwell as far as playing time, and his role. The true measure of a player when going to a dominating program is how well they accept the role they are given. There is a great chance that he will go on to star for the Dukes, but on every championship team, there are always elite players who are simply in a role that do not give them that much of a chance to help the team. That is not saying they are unimportant, but that there are more experienced, better players ahead of them. He will be tested when arriving on campus. He will be greeted by many other players of similar caliber and all of whom have starred at their high school. They will all be on the same playing field and he will have to separate himself from his competition to earn his playing time. Everything at JMU will be earned for Maxwell, something he looks forward to doing. Maxwell also adds that he made an in-person visit to JMU this past weekend upon receiving the offer and had a self-guided tour. He is very familiar with the program and that is one of the more attractive factors for him to go to Harrisonburg to play for the Dukes.
100% COMMITTED #BURGBOUNDXXI @JMUFootball @maxspatt pic.twitter.com/MXRC1KOZjR
— Maxwell James (@mjames_03) August 31, 2020
Lake Braddock has known that their class of 2021 was special, but having three players on offense alone go to Division I schools means a lot to them. “We knew that the three of us, as well as some others who aren’t getting as much attention, were all very talented, but now we have that sort of reassurance about it. It is all because of the hard work that we have collectively put in to get to this point, and we are all very happy with where we have gotten to so far, “ Maxwell says on the behalf of both Billy Edwards Jr and Remi Johnson. Maxwell also adds the fact that the three of them have now an added chip on their shoulder, and that they want to prove to the world why the three of them are so highly touted and that they are deserving of this attention.
Maxwell James reported the offer from JMU just a few days ago, making it very clear how highly he views James Madison and the program they have created. Maxwell also talks about how he wanted to go Division I from the start. “I’m kind of a flashy guy, so the goal was always to go to a major D1 school, and I did that so it’s something I am very proud of,” he details. He will go to Harrisonburg to play for one of the very best teams in the country and will attempt to prove to the college football world just how impactful he can be for the Dukes. That will take more hard work and determination for Maxwell to push through any obstacles that come his way.
– Marc Goldstein
