I won't spend a lot of time on this, but here are some notes I picked up on other major FSU targets that the 'Noles are involved with. First, I think DT Julian Rochester is looking like he's Georgia bound from the intel I got this weekend. Rochester was close to pulling the trigger when he visited there before, and he has a decent relationship with EJ Price, who just committed there. FSU had work to do there anyway, but wanted to pass that along. I would say out of all the positions defensive tackle would be the biggest focus as the rest of the positions FSU is in good shape for. But I also hear FSU will certainly get their share at this position.
With Levonta Taylor now in the fold, FSU has its focus on DB Trayvon Mullen, who looks like he has pushed back making any kind of early decision and won't announce until after his season. I'm told FSU had several really good conversations with Mullen over the weekend, and the feeling remains that it's an FSU/LSU battle. FSU is confident in its chances, from the vibe I got over the weekend. Georgia,Miami, Florida and Alabama are also very much in the picture as well. Mullen is expected to visit for the FSU spring game this weekend or at the very least right after that game. If FSU were fortunate enough to
land Mullen, I think that would be a wrap for the cornerback position.
DB Khalil Ladler is another on the radar for FSU, but I get the feeling FSU has slipped a tad here and I would call Georgia his slight leader. Ladler is expected to visit FSU in a few weeks. But will visit Georgia for their spring game this weekend.
At running back, I get the impression that RB Malik Miller is the top overall target with Miami commitment Amir Rasul just behind him, followed by talented RB Andrew Lee just behind those two guys. Out of all of them, Lee has made the biggest impression with what the staff has seen on film. Lee's academics are still a concern, but he's very much atop target. Robert Washington and Devin White are two targets on the FSU radar who are likely ending up elsewhere. Washington eliminated FSU when he named his top six, and most feel White looks like an Ole Miss lean even though he's visiting FSU for the spring game. There is definitely work to do there.
Now with Miller I get the impression that FSU visit really shook things up for him in how much he liked it there and his fit into that FSU offense in being a pro style offense. Miller is all about playing in the NFL and you could tell that part of the draw intrigued him a lot. Miller told me recently he plans on visiting FSU again in the summer and also attended at least one or two games this fall. Not saying FSU is some kind of favorite or anything, but I do think they are up there now with the in-state schools and he's quite serious about them.
Travis Homer is another one very much in the mix for the 'Noles, and he's expected to attend the spring game. If FSU pushes, it can probably get him, but he's probably behind those other three I mentioned. Manatee RB Johnnie Lang is also in the mix, but he's not one of the main targets at this point. He will camp again at FSU. Grades aren't a problem yet, but that's something that they will keep an eye on with Lang. He's on pace to make it but also could be better.
At receiver, as I've stated many times, Nate Craig-Myers is where all the focus is for the Seminoles. Consider the fact that FSU isn't showing as much interest in Elijah Stove and Darnell Salomon lately as it did earlier this spring. Both of them are now expected to end up elsewhere. Meanwhile, Auburn has greatly picked up its interest in Stove, which tells you about the Tigers' level of concern with Craig-Myers.
There is a possibility of FSU bringing in three receivers, but that isn't the focus right now. Sam Bruce, Dredrick Snelson and Tre Nixon are the main guy I've heard they are involved with - Nixon being the one with the most conversations with FSU. But again, it all starts with Nate Craig-Myers. If they did take a third, I get the impression it would be someone with very good skills in the return game, which points more at Nixon or Bruce. I'll also add that Nixon went out of his way to contact me about making sure I add the FSU offer to his database. He also added that one is very important to me.
The offensive line is going quite well for FSU. The 'Noles would like to have three or four in this class. Most of the slots will be reserved for the interior, with one tackle (or maybe two) if that's how it shakes out. EJ Price wasn't a surprise to FSU. I get
the feeling they thought Georgia was the team to beat despite the comments from Price about Michigan. Stewart Reese recently visited Miami, but I still get the impression FSU is the favorite. The vibe is that he can play tackle or guard for FSU. There's no change from what I've heard with Andrew Boselli, as FSU still stands out the most.
I also expect more OL targets to emerge as we get around to the spring evaluations and also the summer evaluations for camp. FSU has a good start with Baveon Johnson, who will probably be the center signee for this class. Then you have Reese and Boselli as the lead candidates for guard, which leaves one tackle, unless it turns out Reese is liked more as a tackle later on.
On special teams, the feeling I get is that punter Drue Chrisman will likely stay closer to home and commit to Ohio State right after its spring game, which he is attending. I think if Chrisman was from Florida, FSU would have a solid chance at securing him. But location wins out IMO this time for Ohio State. I still get the impression K Ricky Agauyo will be the kicker in this class, and FSU is still recruiting several punters. So they should still be able to find a good one for this class.
I'll take Derrick Brown off of our Hot Board list for the next one since I haven't heard anything about him setting up an FSU visit. That's really my only concern in this class is who FSU will add at the DT position to go along with Cedric Wood. There
are targets, but none that I consider FSU leans at this stage. However, I've been told that Dexter Lawrence is the one they have the best shot with. Lawrence is expected to either attend the spring game or come a week after that spring game to get a strong look at FSU. N.C. State is the school he's seen the most, and with the out-of-state schools, FSU and Clemson are the ones I hear mentioned the most. FSU could offer a better chance of playing time, and Lawrence really likes Odell Haggins, who is pushing hard for him.
I wouldn't change much else on the Hot Board, as the other targets are expected to make summer visits to FSU and we'll know more then.
Things are shaping up well at defensive end. FSU already has Janarius Robinson and Keir Thomas, two really solid defensive end prospects. I was told again this weekend that both are solid in their verbal commitments, even though Robinson has
taken visits to Alabama and later this week UF. Robinson will be back again at FSU for the spring game. Thomas will be there as well. As I've covered multiple times, I don't expect Josh Brown in this class. West Virginia would be the expected flip destination, and that could happen at the end of the spring, but there isn't a set time for another decision yet. The fact that he didn't make the visit with his teammates last weekend confirms the suspicions that he won't be in this class.
No change on Shavar Manuel, as things are trending well for the 'Noles. Assuming the 'Noles got Manuel, they might add one more, but that depends on the prospect. Joseph Jackson seems solid for the 'Canes and he hasn't set up a visit yet, so I don't see that as a possibility right now even though FSU likes him. I get the feeling Javon Kinlaw and Jordan Woods are interesting ones to watch this year, as far as how often they are on campus. Woods has been to FSU a lot, but the interest
looks to have died down some since Robinson committed. Kinlaw on the other hand told me he's going to be on FSU's campus in the next few weeks. Kinlaw has a connection with Lawing and the two sides have been talking about a visit for a while. Clemson looks to be the biggest competition early on.
In the secondary, Carlos Becker and JoeJuan Williams are two of the main guys on the board. Williams can play either safety or corner, but he's more natural at free safety from what I've seen. On Williams as I mentioned in our update he does have solid interest in FSU and he will camp at FSU this summer. With Becker, UF has made a solid move forward, and I consider that to be a dead heat between FSU and UF. Ohio State also is high on his list. FSU is still quite active with Saivion Smith as a combo defensive back, but maybe more so as a safety, which fits Smith's skill set better. I have heard that Saivon is talking more with FSU commits then the LSU commits if you want to read into that. Those conversations also haven't been Smith recruiting anyone, but mainly hanging out and chatting about non football stuff. Still think Smith will take some visits later this year. Brandon Burton continues to flirt with FSU, and is very tight with QB commit Malik Henry. But until he visits, I wouldn't really get your hopes up. Ithink he stays out west at the end of the day, since he's said a decision could come after a visit to FSU later this month. That usually means the prospect already has an idea who he is choosing.
Lastly with the linebacker position, FSU is going to recruit a lot of guys here because it wants to secure four in this class. Two inside, two outside. The two outside look to be locked in with Emmett Rice and Jamal Couch at this stage, or at the very least they are solid commitments based on what I've been told. The one shaky one would be Tyree Horton, who is from the Miami area. Florida is the biggest competition IMO, and the Gators are trying to get him on campus before he takes his official to FSU this summer.
For now, FSU is the only official I'm told he's definitely making so far. Florida has connections with him and CJ Worton, who is a former teammate of his. FSU's Randy Sanders also has a previous relationship with him. I'm told Horton still talks with the FSU staff the most, but Florida is also quite active with him as well. Some people I've talked to around his recruitment thought Horton would break things off with FSU and commit to UF once he landed that offer, but that hasn't happened. FSU's side continues to feel it will be able to hold onto him.
Right now, I expect Keion Joyner to end up at LSU if I was making a pick today, and Tre Lamar would end up somewhere else besides FSU. Joyner plans to visit FSU either for the spring game or shortly after it. There is work to do there. Not a massive lead for LSU,but it's not a tight battle either. So until he makes that visit to FSU that's going to be my feelings on his recruitment despite that very close bond with Lawing.
Out of the uncommitted prospects, I would say Devin Bush Jr. and Jaquan Yulee would be the guysto focus on. Yulee knows Levonta Taylor, and I'm told he is close to setting up a visit to FSU. It's quite possible he visits FSU around the
same time he visits Alabama, which looks to be the early leader for Yulee. Also for those wondering, I'm told Taylor has talked with a number of FSU commits and even worked on a good portion of FSU's remaining targets, including Nate Craig-Myers, Jaquan Yulee and Dexter Lawrence to name a few.
I didn't cover every single prospect in this Mill, but most of the ones I had news on. I'll have another Hot Board later this year once we get around to the summer camps or if I feel there are a lot more changes. We should have a lot more stuff going forward with the spring game as well with that impressive group of standouts visiting. Have a good week guys.
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