2024 Trib HSSN Preseason Football All-Star Team: West Mifflin’s Jaiden Brown-Demery

By: Michael Love
Friday, August 2, 2024 | 6:01 AM

Jaiden Brown-Demery is taking nothing for granted as he enters his senior season at West Mifflin.

The 6-foot-4, 315-pound lineman missed his entire sophomore season after suffering an ACL injury.

He didn’t return until the fourth game of last season against Ringgold, but the feeling of getting back on the field, he said, was exhilarating.

“I had missed so many games,” said Brown-Demery, a two-way standout at offensive and defensive tackle. “It was great to get back to blocking and tackling and doing what I could to help us win football games. Now that it is my senior year, I want to leave everything on the field. I want to play every game, from start to finish, like it’s my last.”

Brown-Demery announced his college commitment Thursday, picking Akron from a long list of Division I offers.

@RMatviko @BallCoachJoeMo @NyeemWartman @Coach_J_Rod @RodSteele16 #GoZips #ZipEmUp ???????? pic.twitter.com/I85F8imYpv

— Jaiden Brown-Demery (@Juice_55_OTM) August 1, 2024

Now he can turn his attention to being a major factor for a West Mifflin team eyeing another run in the WPIAL playoffs.

When he returned last year, the Titans went on a streak of six wins over their final seven regular-season games. West Mifflin beat Mt. Pleasant in the WPIAL Class 3A first round before falling to Elizabeth Forward in the quarterfinals.

“I feel like the season went well. We just came up short in the second round,” he said. “We played hard, did some good things and came out with some nice wins.”

The Titans have moved back up to Class 4A where they will play against conference foes Hampton, Indiana, Knoch, Mars and McKeesport.

“We’re very excited for the competition,” Brown-Demery said. “We have some new teams to face, and we know it will be challenging. But we’re going to be ready for it.”

Brown-Demery’s disruptive play defensively upon his return last year opened the eyes of opposing conference coaches. He was named the Western Hills Conference Defensive Player of the Year along with receiving the Defensive Lineman of the Year award.

“I was very honored, seeing that I missed the first few games,” he said. “I was a little surprised. But I was grateful that my play was recognized like that.”

Brown-Demery played last year at about 330 pounds, but he dropped 15 pounds in the offseason.

“I worked hard and gained some quickness and also put on some muscle and improved my footwork,” he said. “Those were my goals coming out of last season. I think those things will really help me.”

West Mifflin coach Rod Steele said he appreciates how physical Brown-Demery can be.

“He’s such a tough kid,” Steele said. “He takes pride in playing the game in such a physical way. He was really hurt by that year he missed. He came back last year and really started to get his feet wet. As the year went on, he was getting better and better.

“I don’t think we have truly seen his best yet. We’re really looking forward to him having a great senior year.”

Brown-Demery said he understands how important his leadership will be as the team comes together over the next couple of weeks.

“Me being a senior, and with younger guys coming up and being a part of the team, I know there is a big responsibility,” he said.

“I am not a real vocal leader, but I can be at times. I just want to work hard and have the younger guys see that.”

Playing key positions on sides of the ball, Brown-Demery knows how important it is to be well-conditioned.

“I have been pushing myself as hard as I can with sprints to make sure my conditioning is good,” he said. “The second half and fourth quarter is when you can tell who is in better condition.”

Jaiden Brown-Demery

West Mifflin

Senior

OT/DT

6-foot-4, 315 pounds

Stars: 3 by On3.com

Commitment: Akron

Division I offers: Kent State, Bowling Green, Pitt, West Virginia, Duke, Toledo, Temple, Robert Morris, Monmouth

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: West Mifflin