Four-star Jairus Brents visits Tallahassee, anticpates FSU offer soon
2018 Waggener (KY) four-star defensive back Jairus Brents visited FSU Saturday to take in spring practice and meet with the FSU coaching staff.
He came away impressed with what he saw.
"The weather down there, it makes you want to run faster," quipped Brents.
Brents is obviously and elite football player but some may not know that he's also an elite track star who won the Hershey National Indoor Youth 55-meter-dash in New York City after running a 6.51.
He claims that time wasn't even close to how fast he can become.
"I'm trying to get my 55 (meter-dash) time under 6.40. I can do it too, I'm training for track this entire offseason to get my outdoor times up, after football next year I'm going train for indoor and set all new PR's and break records, watch," claimed Brents.
FSU is well aware that the Louisville, Kentucky native has Florida speed.
"Coach Fisher knew my track times, he did his homework on me, that was cool," remarked Brents. "They knew who I was as soon as I walked in the door, even one of the QB coaches (Tino Sunseri) told me he knew who I was because he say my hudl and said I was the guy from Kentucky running away from everyone."
"They showed me the player dorms and the one they showed me had my jersey in a case above the bed, that was a nice touch," admitted the Rivals250 defensive back.
Brents has seen a lot of schools and he's no stranger to the recruiting process. His godfather, Chris Vaughn, has traversed the U.S. interstate system to get him on college campuses since he was a seventh-grader, the two are definitely road warriors.
"The personal touches are cool and all that but at this point, I just want to find the place where I can play the best possible competition so I'll be prepared for the NFL," said the playmaker from Louisville. "I had a long meeting with the defensive coordinator, Charles Kelly, and he told me he knew I just wanted to play ball. That's what I'm focused on, getting to a place where there are dudes I can actually compete with."
Kelly, Brents, and Vaughn had a long discussion about how the four-star would be used in the defense, what goals Brents' has set for his future, and how Kelly relates to his players. Brents is a guarded kid with a high street IQ, he doesn't just let anyone into his circle but told kentuckypreps.com that he thought Charles Kelly was a "cool dude."
"Coach (Kelly) told me I would play multiple positions in the secondary, but that I would probably be featured as the "star" corner. They use a lot of man-press, that's good because I like to beat receivers up, it's fun," said Brents. "I told him my goal is to get to the league, and he showed me all the players from FSU that made it. I was feeling that. He also talked about how he wants me to get my degree and be successful off the field."
After meeting with both Charles Kelly and Jimbo Fisher, the Waggener defensive back anticipates and offer.
"Coach Fisher said they need to see me do some things in person before they offer me so I was like let me run out to the truck and grab my cleats real quick and show you, but coach Kelly told me that's against the rules," Brents stated. "Coach Fisher told me he knows I'm a big time player and that he thinks I could end up playing for or aginst him, without a doubt. I respect that for real but if I don't get that offer he better hope I'm not playing aginst FSU."
According to his godfather and trainer Chris Vaughn, coach Kelly is scheduled to visit Waggener and evaluate Brents in person. The four-star DB conceded that an FSU offer would be a serious game changer and the 'Noles are "high on his list," but he also mentioned other programs entice him as well.
"Alabama plays for the national championship every year and they develop pros. I like Virginia Tech too, they've had something like 24 straight years where one of their draft eligible defensive backs got drafted. Pitt is cool too because they have a tradition of great defensive backs in the NFL and they show a lot of love. I like Wisconsin too, I can go up there and make an impact in all three phases of the game. Oh, I also like Michigan State's defensive scheme and they put a lot of DB's in the league," admitted Brents.
When it comes to his recruitment, don't discount the hometown Louisville Cardinals who offered him as an 8th grader. Brents and the Louisville staff have a long-standing relationship. The task the 'Cards face is the fact that he's become a national recruit and the staff will have to outshine a plethora of powerhouses to keep him in-state, the same bodes true for the Kentucky Wildcats.
Two other west coast schools are in the mix for Brents as well.
"Coach Pimpleton up at Oregon is from Louisville and he wants me to come out for an official visit and see what the Ducks got out there. USC is a place I can see myself getting a lot of work all over the field like Adoree Jackson so those two schools have a good chance of getting an official visit, UCLA too," advised Brents. "Oh yeah, I have to get out to TCU and Florida too before I decide who my top five schools are going to be."
It appears that a coveted FSU offer is imminent and the 2018 four-star defensive back from the Derby City will have another option to weigh regarding his college decision.