PALM BEACH COUNTY – Roshaune Downie has the heart of a lion.
It shows on the field whether he touches the ball or not, and it galvanized the Benjamin football program in multiple ways this past season.
The 5-foot-8, 160-pound two-way player finished his senior season with 36 tackles, seven pass breakups, two fumble recoveries, and one interception on defense. He added five touchdowns as a receiver on offense.
Downie (No. 2-ranked DB/WR; No. 38 overall player in Palm Beach County) pledged his verbal commitment to Denison on Dec. 15, 2019. He selected Denison over the likes of Keiser, Heidelberg, and Georgetown.
“They love me up there,” Downie said. “They showed a lot of love through the process and expressed how they wanted me. They also are using my versatility. I will be playing all over on the defensive side of the ball like I want to.”
When you spend time with Downie, you will immediately be mesmerized by his level of passion for whatever he loves. For the Benjamin senior, his father, Dwight, meant a whole lot to him growing up.
“I learned a lot more about my dad at the funeral just because he wasn’t the type to really brag,” Downie said. “My dad was a very hard worker and he really got it out the mud. He started from the bottom. He came over from Jamaica and didn’t go to college, but he ended up with the most successful trucking businesses in the state and yet I never knew.”
Downie said he learned to grow up quickly in part due to how his dad lived his life.
“My father took care of his kids,” Downie said. “He made sure me and my brother had food, clothes, and some toys. So to answer your question, he inspired me to put my head down and grind, to be a man, and that family is very important.
The Benjamin standout’s family goes from his natural one to those who have played football with him. One of those individuals is Chris D’Or, who was a teammate of Downie’s when they were freshmen at Cardinal Newman.
Right after Benjamin’s 33-16 playoff win over Cardinal Newman, Downie spent an emotional moment with our Offensive Player of the Year (No. 1 running back; No. 4 overall player) and Slippery Rock signee.
“Oh that was nothing crazy to me,” Downie said. “On the field I love talking crazy and being that dog, but at the end of the day it’s all love, especially with Chris. We had talked about flicking up after the game. We were supposed to play Week 2, but it got cancelled. I knew after losing to us that my brother would need me, so I wanted to comfort him. I known Chris since I was a freshman. He’s my brother for real.”
With that said, Downie had some other memorable moments this past season at Benjamin. They came in an early-season win (27-13 in Week 4) over Pine Crest.
“I had a 70-yard slant and 99-yard kickoff return for touchdowns, along with some big hits,” Downie said. “My dad had passed away a
couple weeks before, so I had put my best performance forth for my pops.”
Downie will be signing his letter of intent today with several other teammates at around 1 p.m. This will probably be a watershed moment for him, as he reflects on his high school football career at Benjamin.
“Everyone from the students to the faculty has loved me,” Downie said. “They have helped me out, and for that I’m very grateful to the Benjamin community.”
