WEST ORANGE-Farad Green, Jr. has always been committed to the process, whether it has been battling back from nagging injuries to become Essex County’s top running back the last two seasons, or in keeping up his ‘A’s and ‘B’s with his studies at West Orange High School.
Now, he’s ready to undertake the biggest commitment of his young life which begins this summer at West Point where he begins his college career which will lead to a future in the U.S. Army also with some football included over the next four or five years.
The dynamic senior running back, who set a new school record for touchdowns in a game with six in his team’s season-ending 54-42 setback to Passaic Tech in the North 1, Group 5 playoff sectional final, is the latest Parisi Fairfield/Sideline Chatter Athlete of the Week.
The strong 5-foot-9, 175-pound senior, who overcame hamstring injuries which limited his sophomore season to just a handful of carriers, finished his scholastic football career with very impressive numbers including 2,887 total rushing yards and 31 TDs.
In his now completed 2025 season, Green had 200 carries for 1,115 yards and 19 TDs after he rushed for 1,388 yards and 11 TDs as a junior for another Mountaineers’ N1G5 runner-up squad.
In his final high school game against PCTI, the dynamic West Orange RB was an unrelenting force despite his team’s eventual playoff setback with 20 carries for 130 yards and 5 rushing TDs, while he also returned a first quarter kickoff 93 yards for another score.
While his team was in the process of falling to the surging Bulldogs, he never let up scoring three of those rushing TDs in the fourth quarter.
“Farad is an absolute warrior, a throwback kid and the kind of player and person that you build a program around,” said veteran West Orange head coach Darnell Grant. “He has so much heart and never shys away from the moment.
“He’ll continue to be the hard worker he’s always been at West Point while receiving a top education and also helping in the continued success of the Army football team.”
Army, which was a superb 12-2 last fall, and is a very competitive 5-4 so far this fall, has its biggest game of every season vs. Navy on Dec. 13 in Baltimore.
Green, who had 17 college offers, including from the Air Force and Naval Academies, announced his commitment when he visited West Point on Aug. 31 as Army was preparing to face Tarleton State on its season-opening Game Day. He spent time talking to a number of people including assistant head coach John Loose, who is one of the top aides to head coach Jeff Monken, and it didn’t take long for the West Orange senior to make his unique college decision.
“Coach Loose is such a great guy and I had the chance to spend some time in Coach Monken’s office,” said the Mountaineers’ senior standout who has a strong interest in engineering which is one of the top areas of study at West Point. “There was just something about the entire environment and the people I met there which immediately had such a powerful impression on me.
“I feel that I am ready to make the commitment to the entire process I will be undertaking.”
Future Army Cadets spend their first year at West Point Prep prior to attending the main college and taking classes there with those four years followed by an 8-year commitment that requires at least five years of active duty and three years in the reserves.
“It’s going to be a great place to learn and I look at the entire experience, including the active duty after college, as a real benefit in the long run for me and my family,” said Green. “I am going to have the opportunity of a lifetime and I am excited for it all to begin!”
He will also be joining a good friend and fellow North Jersey star running back in Bergen Catholic’s Dante Kain at West Point after the Crusaders’ senior star had also made his commitment to Army earlier this year.
Another local product currently on the Army football roster is former Montclair standout wide receiver and defensive back David Thom-Rogers, who is a freshman safety on the Cadets’ roster after spending the 2024-2025 school year at West Point Prep.
“Dante is a great guy and we will check up on each other as the entire process gets underway,” said Green. “’DTM’ (Thom-Rogers) is a very solid person and I look forward to seeing him there.
“I know that Dante and I will keep working to get ourselves ready for the commitment to the whole process.”
There will still be time to look back on a splendid West Orange football career and all the players and coaches he enjoyed being around.
“Our coaching staff, including Coach Grant, (assistant head) Coach (Cyrus) Harbin and Coach (Andrew) Mazurek, have been tremendous, and I will always appreciate the brotherhood we had on the team,” said Green. “And, all I accomplished running the football could not have happened without my O-Line, which has been phenomenal, and we had such an outstanding group of guys blocking this season.”
The Mountaineers’ powerful O-Line during the 2025 season included veteran senior tackle Greg Andrews, junior tackle Alexaner Pineda, veteran junior center Aiden Watt, junior guard Wagley Auguste and sophomore guard Samuel Ferr along with hlighly-recruited junior tight end Sydney Padilla, who will be one of the next Football Bowl Subdivision, Division 1-A recruits from West Orange.
Green finished his scholastic career as one of only three Mountaineers to rush for more than 2,000 yards joining Michael Osjuji (2017) and Lance Smith (2012) in achieving that milestone along with establishing a single-game record for TDs with six.
From Roosevelt Middle School to West Orange High School and now preparing to head to an ultimate learning and athletic experience at West Point, it’s been quite the journey already for one of Essex County’s top players over the past two seasons.
“I always think about what coach Grant says about playing to the end with a lot of heart and passion while always keeping your foot on the gas,” said Green. “That’s the way I approached every game and how I was determined to finish the playoff game with Passaic Tech even if it would wind up being the last high school game I ever play.
“Now there is much more work ahead for me and I’m ready to get going again while looking to learn and also enjoy the entire process which awaits for me in the years to come!”
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Parents and coaches are invited to visit their website for additional information at www.parisifairfield.com or contact their Director, John Cirilo at 973 227-0199.
