At Suwannee High School in Live Oak, Fla., UGASports.com sat down with the school’s head football coach, Kyler Hall, to get his feedback regarding Josh Braun. The 6-foot-6, 360-pound Braun, a four-star offensive tackle entering his senior year at Suwannee, recently committed to Georgia for the 2020 class.

UGASports: Coach Hall, what first comes to your mind when you think of Josh?

Hall: “He’s an absolute dominant player, who still has his best years in front of him. Obviously, Josh’s size stands out and he’s intimidating to opposing players. But, when he first stepped on campus here as just a kid, he instantly gained respect by the way he played, and the way he practiced. He’s very well rounded. He has done so much to this point not only athletically, but academically and socially, as well. I’ll also say, he probably handled the [recruiting] process better than anybody I have been around. So, honestly, it’s just so easy to talk about Josh because of the things he does both on and off the football field.”

UGASports: Speaking of Josh’s size, how rare is it that he is able to combine his massive size with being rather agile?

Hall: “It’s very rare. I know, I've never coached one like him at that position, and probably never will. Josh is the total package. A lot of times when people see a kid that big, they automatically think he cannot move well. But, man, they should see Josh move, and understand his awareness of the game. People see his weight and might think he’s fat, but he’s not at all—just a big human being. Josh is so long, has a huge wingspan, and a big ole base—a massive kid. His sophomore year, he weighed about 330-335 pounds. Last year, when he played more at [offensive] guard, he was around 350. And, at one point this offseason, I mean, he was up to 380 pounds! Still, no matter what Josh has weighed, it’s always been so impressive to see somebody that big be able to move up and down the field like he has.”

UGASports: Josh has played both offensive tackle and guard at Suwannee. Where do you see him lining up at the college level?

Hall: “Funny thing, when he was in ninth grade, we actually put him at the position he played in middle school—tight end. So, you can imagine him split out in the slot (laughing). That summer, when we participated in 7-on-7s, he was actually taking reps at tight end catching the ball. He’s just a very gifted kid. The way Josh can quickly drop weight, or the way he can put on weight, I think that's going to be an added asset for him to play either tackle or guard. I think he can play both in college. Josh definitely has the skill set which allows him to play both, and play both well. But, personally, I think he'll be a tackle in college.”

UGASports: Considering Josh is so dominant on the field, do you find it tough for him to be challenged, or is he able to challenge himself enough?

Hall: “I think he does a good job of challenging himself because of his brothers who have come before him. (Brother Trey Braun was Georgia Tech’s starting left guard from 2013-2015; brother Parker Braun, currently a graduate transfer at Texas, was also Georgia Tech’s starting left guard from 2016-2018.) His brothers did a really good job of setting the standard of academics and working hard—and I think Josh wants to continue doing the same. I coached Trey at Leon (Leon High School in Tallahassee, Fla.), and he was the same type of kid there and then at Georgia Tech—a hard worker, intelligent, and did what you asked him to do. Parker was the same way—a dominant player and just a beast. So, Josh is that next one in line. I mean, I don't want to say Josh doesn't need to be challenged, but let’s just say he is definitely a self-starter.”

UGASports: Have you seen Josh take on a leadership role? If so, describe his leadership.

Hall: “Yes. I think he does a good job of knowing when to be vocal and when to just work. Josh has found a good balance of saying something to somebody, or getting onto someone who needs it, and challenging teammates. He also does a really good job of pulling guys to the side, where he'll have a conversation with them, holding them accountable. That comes from his family—just the way they've raised him. Besides his brothers, both of Josh’s parents were athletes and graduates of West Point (United States Military Academy), so he has really been molded to be a leader. But, even if someone was raised by leaders, you still have to make the decision to be a leader—and Josh has done just that.”

UGASports: As a player, what do you expect to see from Josh this upcoming season at Suwannee, and then later playing for Georgia?

Hall: “Although I never have to tell Josh to work hard, when you have somebody with that skill set and size, you still want to get the maximum out of him. That's why I say, Josh’s best football days are still ahead of him. I honestly don't think he's anywhere near as good as he's going to be, which is really scary if you think about it. His size, skill set, being a self-starter and self-motivating, and the fact he has busted his butt to be at the position he is in now, I think, even for him, he could be really dominant for us this year, and then going forward. It will be exciting to see how it plays out.”