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Defending national champion Georgia had an assistant coach, among several other Power Five programs, at Ft. Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas High School for a 6:00 am practice on Friday morning.
Jayvant Brown, a rising-senior linebacker who transferred in from Deerfield Beach (Fla.) for the 2022 season, wanted a chance to work in front of the staff but he's recovering from torn labrum surgery.
"I couldn't really show anything, so I was disappointed with that," Brown told Sports Illustrated.
The 6'1", 220-pound prospect holds tenders from most of the rest of the sport's top programs, however, including Alabama, Ohio State and LSU. The trio each made his top group released on Christmas Day and appears ahead of the rest of the programs also making the cut like Michigan, Penn State, Florida and Florida State.
Brown spent time in Baton Rouge during the first spring game of the Brian Kelly era at LSU.
"I was at LSU, that's really the only visit I took in the spring," he said. "It was an unofficial, but it was great. I was there for the spring game and it was amazing. The coaches like me, they are always showing me great love. Coach (Matt) House, the linebackers coach (and defensive coordinator) is a really good guy and he just came to see me the other day.
"I really mess with them."
Alabama and Ohio State appear in line for one of the next trips Brown takes, potentially to kick off his official visit slate in June.
The Buckeyes, in particular, have been busy in Florida with four pledges from the state, including one from nearby Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage High School in running back Mark Fletcher. Brown is friends with his fellow Broward County blue-chip recruit and admits there is true momentum for Ryan Day's program in the area.
"Ohio State, I've stayed talking to them," he said. "They've been on me. Their commits are my guys and I'm not even gonna lie -- we may be trying to build something special over there. But I'm still looking into my other choices like Alabama, LSU, Georgia."
The Crimson Tide angle is self explanatory based on the consistent talent and on-field success in Tuscaloosa.
John Garcia, Jr.
"Alabama is just Alabama, you want to play against the best to be the beast," Brown said. "That iron sharpens iron."
The recruiting process has been a long one to date with one of the top linebackers in the South considering Brown's offer list has ballooned beyond two dozen since his sophomore varsity campaign.
It means after this round of official visits, the evaluation of programs could lead to a preseason verbal commitment.
"It's probably going to speed up in the summer,' Brown said. "Because with the transfer portal and stuff like that, I'm not trying to wait too long."
The class of 2023 standout said programs in his top group, particularly those in-state, are not yet eliminated from his recruitment. However, there is a geographical direction the recruitment appears to be headed.
"I've always wanted to go out of state," Brown said. "Not too far, though (laughing)."
In the meantime, one of the top uncommitted defenders in Florida is working to get familiar with the Raiders program and defense in particular. He is looking to anchor a defense fresh off of a Class 7A state championship.
"Just trying to learn the system and all of that," Brown said. "It's very different, like it's a four-man front, so I've got to get used to that and the new coverages. But it's coming along so far. It's good."
