10 Keys To FSU's Recruiting Class

With Signing Day just 2 weeks away, recruiting is moving into high gear. FSU has added some nice players but is still a long way off their usual recruiting classes. This isn't a huge surprise as FSU is a notoriously strong finisher. Bowden is the best at getting top players on Signing Day. With that in mind here is a list of the 10 (technically 12) key players for FSU to land a top 5 class.


10. Preston Parker (WR from Delray Beach Atlantic Community) - Sleeper WR who Miami is also pushing hard for. FSU is currently about as thin at WR as they have ever been, and with no WR yet in this class Parker becomes a key player. Not the most important position to fill, but FSU isn’t the WR factory of old.

9. Ochuko Jenije (CB from North Florida Christian) - Every FSU fan realizes that CB is far from a strength for the team, but with a handful of talented young corners, it isn’t quite as necessary to recruit as it seems. That said, you can never have too many cover corners and Jenije is a solid CB prospect who played at football factory North Florida Christian, one of the Tallahassee school that pipeline in players to FSU.

8. Seddrick Holloway (FB from Tallahassee Lincoln) - 3 star FB from the other football factory in Tallahassee. FB is one of those positions FSU values over a lot of other elite level schools, so solid FB’s are always needed. Holloway will come in an fill in nicely as Coleman leaves.

7. Marcus Sims (LB from North Florida Christian) - Any brother of Ernie Sims needs to be a Seminole, and this brother is certainly a player regardless of last name. Ranked #76 in Rivals Top 100 he would be a great signing, even if LB is the deepest position at FSU. Talent wise he may be worthy of being higher on this list, but there is just isn’t a huge need at LB at FSU right now, even with Ernie Sims and Nicholson leaving.

6. Charles Deas (DT from Ft. Lauderdale Dillard) - With Callahan Bright finally coming to FSU this year, DT isn’t quite the need position it could have been. That said, FSU could sure use some quality DT’s from this recruiting class. Bright is surely one of them and Deas may be the other. The #79 ranked player overall will fit in nicely with what Mickey likes to do.

5. Marcus Ball (LB from Stone Mountain Stephenson) - I know I said LB wasn’t a need position at FSU, but Ball is one of the elite defensive players in all the nation. Ranked #37 on Rivals and higher on some other sites. He is the caliber of player you recruit whether you have space for them or not.

4. Damon McDaniel (WR from Virginia Beach Landstown) and Doug Thacker (DE from Seminole HS in Florida) - McDaniel is a UF commit and Thacker a Virginia Tech commit, but both now appear to be ready to head to school in Tallahassee. So not only would landing these 2 give FSU elite players at need positions, but also it would take players away from 2 rivals. McDaniel is a nice WR and Thacker was unblockable in route to Defensive MVP honors at the CaliFlorida Bowl.

3. Brandon Warren (DE from Alcoa HS in Tennessee) - Warren has already committed to FSU, but now Tennessee is pushing hard for him to change his mind. FSU needs to keep him committed. As of now he is one of the 2 jewels of FSU’s class along with Myron Rolle, so letting him get away would be very bad.

2. CJ Spiller (RB from Lake Butler Union County) - Spiller is the #9 recruit in the nation and maybe the most exciting player. He is small but extremely illusive. A bit of a Maurice Drew clone who will likely return kicks as well as playing RB. With Booker leaving after this season, Spiller and last years stud back recruit Antone Smith will make a nice combo in the backfield.

1. Andre Smith (OG from Birmingham Huffman) and Daron Rose (OT from Tampa Jefferson) - The number one need in this recruiting class is on the OL. FSU has landed some nice OL prospects including Matt Hardrick who may play early on, but lack the crown jewel to top off their class. Both Smith and Rose could be that jewel as both are studs who likely will play the day they step on campus. Smith is the higher ranked of the 2 at #2 on Rivals list, but Rose has come on very strong and some feel he is the best OL in this class. FSU must land one of these 2 to make their class.