Latavious Brini wants to follow in past defensive backs’ legacy
Georgia landed a quality addition to its 2017 class in four-star Latavious Brini a couple of weeks ago. In making his final decision, it didn’t take Brini long at all to realize Georgia was his place to be.
Brini, a defensive back out of Mater Academy Charter in Hialeah, Florida, a suburb of Miami, said he appreciated the feel of Georgia’s program and its legacy of players at his position.
"Georgia felt like home and I realized it on my second visit," Brini said. "It means a lot because Georgia had some greats and I feel as if I have the talent to be in that group of defensive backs."
Georgia has been no stranger to elite defensive backs in program history, with names such as cornerback Champ Bailey, safety Terry Hoage and safety Jake Scott etched in the annals. New head coach Kirby Smart himself was a cornerback at Georgia as well.
Brini’s defensive coordinator at Mater Academy, Jeff Pond, raved about what Brini can bring to the college level.
According to 247Sports, Brini is rated as a four-star recruit and ranked as the 42nd best recruit in the state of Florida. Pond makes the case that his skill set goes past the numbers. As much of the attention of this recruiting class is centered on William Poole III and Richard LeCounte III, Pond noted the qualities which could validate the notion that Brini belongs in that conversation.
"At 6-2, 205 pounds with extremely long arms, God has certainly blessed him with outstanding physical tools," Pond said. "He’s the modern-day blueprint for what a corner should look like. Off the field, he’s a great kid as well. Great smile and polite. Georgia is getting a good one."
Brini’s skill set is one that can translate to the playing field, according to Pond, and his showcase of skills on the biggest stage last season. Brini compares himself to former Florida State star and current Jacksonville Jaguars rookie cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
"He’s very good playing press man coverage," Pond said. "Also, he’s very long and rangy, which allows him to cover a lot of ground in zone coverage, as well. (One of his best performances was) last year in the playoffs against St. Thomas Aquinas, he held Trevon Grimes, one of the top wide receivers in the 2017 class, to zero catches."
Pond’s synopsis may seem a bit biased, but the numbers don’t lie. Grimes is rated as a five-star recruit and currently holds offers from national powers Alabama, Florida and Ohio State.
Along with Georgia feeling like the place to be for Brini, his coach believes it goes a step further. Many coaches wanted Brini to switch positions, but Georgia instilled confidence in Brini at cornerback.
"A lot of teams have talked of converting him to safety because of his size," Pond said. “(Illinois head coach) Lovie Smith and (Georgia defensive coordinator Mel) Tucker, both former NFL coaches, have told him he can make a lot of money by staying at corner. I believe that is one of the things that he really liked about (Georgia) and Coach Tucker because he wasn’t trying to switch positions."
Brini comes from an athletic family with siblings younger and older who have made names of themselves on the gridiron. Pond believes Latavious’ siblings have played a role in reaching his current point of performance and skill.
The Brinis carry a great lineage of skill, all produced at Mater Academy. The combination of genetics and strong development at the prep level would lead many to believe good things are in store.
"He has an older brother Dontavious, who really started it all for the clan of Brini brothers," Pond said. "His younger brother Montavious – a running back in the 2019 class – he already has offers from Southern Cal, Louisville and Mississippi State, among others."
Dontavious signed with Division II Concord University in West Virginia out of high school but is now playing football at ASA College, a junior college program in Miami, with hopes of landing with another NCAA program.
Pond does believe Brini still has some work to do. He elaborated on what they plan to work on to get him polished and prepared for the next level.
A bit of polish and maturity is needed for Brini to reach his potential.
"He is a little raw right now," Pond said. "He needs to clean some things up technique-wise. He also needs to get mentally stronger. He has to learn how to bring the same level of intensity week-to-week and play-to play."
This story was originally published July 22, 2016 at 8:23 PM with the headline "Latavious Brini wants to follow in past defensive backs’ legacy."