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Photo by: Aimee Sabado
Becoming the Blueprint: Josiah Freeman’s journey from Soledad to Fresno State
8/11/2026 11:41:00 AM | Football
FRESNO, Calif. - There was no trainer waiting for him. No blueprint to follow. Just a hill, a collection of screen-recorded Instagram videos and an idea of where he wanted football to take him. For one Soledad, California native, a dream became reality when Fresno State came calling.
Josiah Freeman spent the summer after graduating high school training at local parks throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. With no resources or guidance from a trainer, he did what he could to stay in the game while the world was shut down, but his dreams of playing football at the next level stayed alive.
Besides the shutdown, Freeman was up against the "small-town" recruiting narrative. No athlete from Soledad had ever gone to play football at the Division I level. Freeman wasn't simply an overlooked recruit. He was trying to reach a level nobody from his town had reached before.
He had nobody to look up to in the football space or follow in their footsteps. So he set his own path.
"I knew I wanted to play football," said Freeman. "Coming from a small town, there were no trainers. I would just walk to the park by my grandma's house. I watched ROUTEGOD on Instagram. I would screen-record his videos, knowing that was what guys in the NFL were doing, so I knew I needed to do that. I did that every single day. The park had a hill that I would run, too. I just did that every single day, not knowing what to expect."
ROUTEGOD, who in 2026 has nearly 80,000 YouTube subscribers and over 633,000 Instagram followers, was Freeman's "virtual trainer". At the time, James Everett Jr. (who goes by ROUTEGOD online) was based in Tampa and posted various videos showing route technique, footwork, speed tips and more. He began working directly with collegiate and professional athletes, but still had others like Freeman learning from home.
Freeman's path took him the junior college route, attending Hartnell Junior College for the 2021 season. He didn't feel knocked down in that path; he was just grateful for the opportunity. His JuCo was about a 30-minute commute from home, so he drove that daily. Still fresh off of his own personal training, Freeman was named the team's MVP in 2021.
He praises his family for helping him reach that success. His cousins would be the ones playing with him and driving him to and from the park workouts. His grandma also played a huge role in his development. Everyone in his family did what they could to support him, and it paid off.
His first offer was from a Division II school.
"I remember getting a Division II offer, and I was running around everywhere because I was so grateful. I could go play somewhere else now," said Freeman on receiving his first offer.
It was real now for Freeman. He had the opportunity to continue his playing career. Coaches were starting to notice as well, and he was encouraged to attend a JuCo camp hosted by one of the local programs up north. He performed well at the camp, winning all of his 1-on-1 reps, which had heads turning in his favor.
"That was when I started getting all of my offers. I kind of broke down because all of the hard work actually paid off," said Freeman.
Freeman ultimately chose Fresno State. Although late in the recruiting process, the Bulldogs were able to get Freeman to campus just before fall camp. He was thrown into the fire of Division I football, but never saw it as too big. He saw it as an opportunity to learn from every experience. Not only was the change of pace in football different, but he had to learn to be away from home for the first time in his life.
"Everything outside of football was different for me," said Freeman when looking back at his first fall camp. "I got here so late, so I didn't really have time to process anything or get homesick. Finding the speed of the game was so different. When I got here, there were a lot of good receivers on the team – Jalen Cropper, Erik Brooks. Seeing the level of play from high school to junior college to really elite college athletes like those two was mind-blowing. I took it all in and soaked in all the information I could from those two while they were here. Even from Jake Haener. He would call me out and want to throw to me on 1-on-1s, and that meant a whole lot to me, too, because he was seeing something in me as well. As time went on, I got the hang of the speed of the game and started actually playing football."
Freeman redshirted in the 2022 season, his first on campus. That was arguably the biggest growth year for the talented receiver. In an October game in the 2023 season, Freeman had to step in for an injured Mac Dalena early on. In that game, Freeman had a then-career-high 75 yards off of four catches. It was the first time he truly felt confident in his game at this level and proved to himself that he belonged.
To date, Freeman has 986 career receiving yards with nine touchdowns. He is fresh off of the best season in his career, finishing with 52 receptions for 642 yards in 2025. It was a rebound year for Freeman after missing a majority of the 2024 season with injury, which was another hurdle to overcome in his career. Freeman saw his confidence knocked back down, battling through the rehabilitation process.
Life, and the NCAA, works in funny ways, as his time missed in 2024 qualified him to apply for an extension of eligibility. Freeman was granted that extra year, and was notified during the week of the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl, just days before he went on to have the best game of his career with seven catches for 143 yards.
In this day and age of college football, it is rare to see talented athletes stay in one place for long. Freeman's trajectory on the field had him primed for the transfer portal, in many cases. However, his loyalty was with Fresno State.
"I put myself in a great position, being under Coach [Hardaway], coming back for one more year at Fresno State to get to the next level and the NFL," said Freeman on his decision to return to Fresno State. "I want to hit that 1,000-yard mark and have eight-plus touchdowns, but I also want our team to make it to the Pac-12 Championship. There are a lot of eyes on us and a lot of opportunities for guys to go out there and make a name for themselves and put Fresno on the map even more."
Fresno State has produced some of the NFL's top talent, especially at the wide receiver position, and Freeman understands that. Former players like Cropper and Brooks are just two examples. KeeSean Johnson and Davante Adams are also former Bulldogs. More than that, now they're also resources to Freeman, who, at one point in his life, had none in the football world.
These players are proof that you can get where you want to go from Fresno State. And, Freeman wants to be next.
"I learned how to mature, and understand the process of what it is like to be a pro outside of the facility - taking care of your body, eating the right stuff and knowing that you really have to put your head down and work every single day," said Freeman when asked about his growth. "There is no time to take off. I have a lot of conversations with guys who did make it to the next level from here, and they say it is hard, but we aren't regular athletes. We all got here for a reason, and it is possible."
Freeman keeps in touch with his former teammates in the League and makes sure to pick their minds when he can. The veteran Bulldog is in a constant state of learning, and it doesn't stop at his on-the-field responsibilities. Freeman started training like a pro in his early career, so as he nears the close reality of a professional career, he has already prepared himself the best he could.
"The stuff I was doing back then, I take even more seriously now," said Freeman on his preparation. "Like nutrition, we didn't have a nutritionist at the junior college, but I was still doing what I could to make the right breakfasts and meals when I could. Now, it is normal for me. I eat the same stuff, and I know what I should be putting into my body. Doing that before I got to Fresno really helped me stay on top of my routines and figure out what works best for me."
Through all of the success in Fresno, Freeman still finds time to go back home and spend time with family. He comes from a big family with two older brothers, an older sister and a younger sister, and some nieces and nephews. Freeman sees his family as his motivation, knowing that he can be a mentor for the younger kids in his family. Encouraging them to always believe in themselves.
When asked what his "wow" moment was, or when he realized he can and should always bet on himself, his answer was his family.
"Seeing how proud my mom was," said Freeman when reflecting. "When I told her that I got a Division II offer, she was really happy for me. She sacrificed a whole lot, too. We didn't always have it the best, but she still made sure I was in sports and made sure I was on the right path. Seeing how happy she was and my whole family was, I knew I could really do it. I just kept working and had the same mindset throughout, and it led me here."
Not only has his family supported him, but the entire city of Soledad has stepped up too. He can't go to the grocery store in town without being stopped. After all, he is the first athlete in the entire town to play Division I collegiate football. At 6-foot-4, Freeman is also hard to miss. When he committed to Fresno State, he was recognized by Soledad's mayor for his achievements.
He doesn't let the spotlight get to him; instead, he takes pride in being an inspiration to the kids there with hopes that he can provide them with the confidence to chase their own goals, too.
For Freeman, there are still goals on the table. They're not too far out of reach, either.
"I am super close to where my goals are, especially being with the team for one more season and going into the Pac-12. We have a lot to play for," Freeman said.
Freeman had no blueprint for getting from Soledad to Division I football, so he created one. Now, as he chases the NFL, the path he created is there for the next kid to follow.
Josiah Freeman spent the summer after graduating high school training at local parks throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. With no resources or guidance from a trainer, he did what he could to stay in the game while the world was shut down, but his dreams of playing football at the next level stayed alive.
Besides the shutdown, Freeman was up against the "small-town" recruiting narrative. No athlete from Soledad had ever gone to play football at the Division I level. Freeman wasn't simply an overlooked recruit. He was trying to reach a level nobody from his town had reached before.
He had nobody to look up to in the football space or follow in their footsteps. So he set his own path.
"I knew I wanted to play football," said Freeman. "Coming from a small town, there were no trainers. I would just walk to the park by my grandma's house. I watched ROUTEGOD on Instagram. I would screen-record his videos, knowing that was what guys in the NFL were doing, so I knew I needed to do that. I did that every single day. The park had a hill that I would run, too. I just did that every single day, not knowing what to expect."
ROUTEGOD, who in 2026 has nearly 80,000 YouTube subscribers and over 633,000 Instagram followers, was Freeman's "virtual trainer". At the time, James Everett Jr. (who goes by ROUTEGOD online) was based in Tampa and posted various videos showing route technique, footwork, speed tips and more. He began working directly with collegiate and professional athletes, but still had others like Freeman learning from home.
Freeman's path took him the junior college route, attending Hartnell Junior College for the 2021 season. He didn't feel knocked down in that path; he was just grateful for the opportunity. His JuCo was about a 30-minute commute from home, so he drove that daily. Still fresh off of his own personal training, Freeman was named the team's MVP in 2021.
He praises his family for helping him reach that success. His cousins would be the ones playing with him and driving him to and from the park workouts. His grandma also played a huge role in his development. Everyone in his family did what they could to support him, and it paid off.
His first offer was from a Division II school.
"I remember getting a Division II offer, and I was running around everywhere because I was so grateful. I could go play somewhere else now," said Freeman on receiving his first offer.
It was real now for Freeman. He had the opportunity to continue his playing career. Coaches were starting to notice as well, and he was encouraged to attend a JuCo camp hosted by one of the local programs up north. He performed well at the camp, winning all of his 1-on-1 reps, which had heads turning in his favor.
"That was when I started getting all of my offers. I kind of broke down because all of the hard work actually paid off," said Freeman.
Freeman ultimately chose Fresno State. Although late in the recruiting process, the Bulldogs were able to get Freeman to campus just before fall camp. He was thrown into the fire of Division I football, but never saw it as too big. He saw it as an opportunity to learn from every experience. Not only was the change of pace in football different, but he had to learn to be away from home for the first time in his life.
"Everything outside of football was different for me," said Freeman when looking back at his first fall camp. "I got here so late, so I didn't really have time to process anything or get homesick. Finding the speed of the game was so different. When I got here, there were a lot of good receivers on the team – Jalen Cropper, Erik Brooks. Seeing the level of play from high school to junior college to really elite college athletes like those two was mind-blowing. I took it all in and soaked in all the information I could from those two while they were here. Even from Jake Haener. He would call me out and want to throw to me on 1-on-1s, and that meant a whole lot to me, too, because he was seeing something in me as well. As time went on, I got the hang of the speed of the game and started actually playing football."
Freeman redshirted in the 2022 season, his first on campus. That was arguably the biggest growth year for the talented receiver. In an October game in the 2023 season, Freeman had to step in for an injured Mac Dalena early on. In that game, Freeman had a then-career-high 75 yards off of four catches. It was the first time he truly felt confident in his game at this level and proved to himself that he belonged.
To date, Freeman has 986 career receiving yards with nine touchdowns. He is fresh off of the best season in his career, finishing with 52 receptions for 642 yards in 2025. It was a rebound year for Freeman after missing a majority of the 2024 season with injury, which was another hurdle to overcome in his career. Freeman saw his confidence knocked back down, battling through the rehabilitation process.
Life, and the NCAA, works in funny ways, as his time missed in 2024 qualified him to apply for an extension of eligibility. Freeman was granted that extra year, and was notified during the week of the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl, just days before he went on to have the best game of his career with seven catches for 143 yards.
In this day and age of college football, it is rare to see talented athletes stay in one place for long. Freeman's trajectory on the field had him primed for the transfer portal, in many cases. However, his loyalty was with Fresno State.
"I put myself in a great position, being under Coach [Hardaway], coming back for one more year at Fresno State to get to the next level and the NFL," said Freeman on his decision to return to Fresno State. "I want to hit that 1,000-yard mark and have eight-plus touchdowns, but I also want our team to make it to the Pac-12 Championship. There are a lot of eyes on us and a lot of opportunities for guys to go out there and make a name for themselves and put Fresno on the map even more."
Fresno State has produced some of the NFL's top talent, especially at the wide receiver position, and Freeman understands that. Former players like Cropper and Brooks are just two examples. KeeSean Johnson and Davante Adams are also former Bulldogs. More than that, now they're also resources to Freeman, who, at one point in his life, had none in the football world.
These players are proof that you can get where you want to go from Fresno State. And, Freeman wants to be next.
"I learned how to mature, and understand the process of what it is like to be a pro outside of the facility - taking care of your body, eating the right stuff and knowing that you really have to put your head down and work every single day," said Freeman when asked about his growth. "There is no time to take off. I have a lot of conversations with guys who did make it to the next level from here, and they say it is hard, but we aren't regular athletes. We all got here for a reason, and it is possible."
Freeman keeps in touch with his former teammates in the League and makes sure to pick their minds when he can. The veteran Bulldog is in a constant state of learning, and it doesn't stop at his on-the-field responsibilities. Freeman started training like a pro in his early career, so as he nears the close reality of a professional career, he has already prepared himself the best he could.
"The stuff I was doing back then, I take even more seriously now," said Freeman on his preparation. "Like nutrition, we didn't have a nutritionist at the junior college, but I was still doing what I could to make the right breakfasts and meals when I could. Now, it is normal for me. I eat the same stuff, and I know what I should be putting into my body. Doing that before I got to Fresno really helped me stay on top of my routines and figure out what works best for me."
Through all of the success in Fresno, Freeman still finds time to go back home and spend time with family. He comes from a big family with two older brothers, an older sister and a younger sister, and some nieces and nephews. Freeman sees his family as his motivation, knowing that he can be a mentor for the younger kids in his family. Encouraging them to always believe in themselves.
When asked what his "wow" moment was, or when he realized he can and should always bet on himself, his answer was his family.
"Seeing how proud my mom was," said Freeman when reflecting. "When I told her that I got a Division II offer, she was really happy for me. She sacrificed a whole lot, too. We didn't always have it the best, but she still made sure I was in sports and made sure I was on the right path. Seeing how happy she was and my whole family was, I knew I could really do it. I just kept working and had the same mindset throughout, and it led me here."
Not only has his family supported him, but the entire city of Soledad has stepped up too. He can't go to the grocery store in town without being stopped. After all, he is the first athlete in the entire town to play Division I collegiate football. At 6-foot-4, Freeman is also hard to miss. When he committed to Fresno State, he was recognized by Soledad's mayor for his achievements.
He doesn't let the spotlight get to him; instead, he takes pride in being an inspiration to the kids there with hopes that he can provide them with the confidence to chase their own goals, too.
For Freeman, there are still goals on the table. They're not too far out of reach, either.
"I am super close to where my goals are, especially being with the team for one more season and going into the Pac-12. We have a lot to play for," Freeman said.
Freeman had no blueprint for getting from Soledad to Division I football, so he created one. Now, as he chases the NFL, the path he created is there for the next kid to follow.
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