This Florida State football recruiting National Signing Day 2012 preview is provided courtesy of Tomahawk Nation, SB Nation’s excellent Florida State site. Visit Tomahawk Nation for all of your FSU recruiting needs. Away from the computer tomorrow? Sign up for Tomahawk Nation’s free Florida State National Signing Day text message alerts!
Florida State Football Recruiting: National Signing Day Commitments, Needs And Targets
Florida State is bringing in one of the top recruiting classes in the country. Visit FSU blog Tomahawk Nation for more.
Looking for National Signing Day coverage of other teams or recruits? Head to SB Nation College Football Recruiting.
Looking at the list of commitments, FSU appears to be taking a who’s who from the prep ranks. Headlined by five-star quarterback Jameis Winston and five-star defensive end Mario Edwards Jr., FSU currently has 16 commitments and easily the best class in the ACC. Amazingly, of the non-kicker/punter high school commitments, as of today, the Noles have a total of nine ESPNU 150 players, with a possibility of adding as many as five more to that haul.
Perhaps the most impressive part of this class is be the recruiting on the defensive line with three elite commitments at defensive end (Mario Edwards Jr., Dante Fowler, and Chris Casher), and four-star defensive tackle Justin Shanks. Florida State does technically hold a commitment from defensive tackle Dalvon Stuckey, but he is not expected to qualify.
The ‘Noles also hold commitments from four-star running back Delmarick “Mario” Pender, four-star speedster receiverMarvin Bracy, four-star tight end Christo Kourtzidis, four-star defensive back P.J. Williams (who will start out at corner for the ‘Noles despite many services placing him at safety), and four-star linebacker Ukeme “Markuss” Eligwe. There is a very slight worry among some that Eligwe, who won’t sign until February 6, will choose Cal. Quarterback Sean Maguire, kicker Roberto Aguayo, and punter Cason Beatty are also committed, though Aguayo won’t enroll until the next January, as he is grayshirting.
Florida State dipped into the JUCO ranks to grab instant offensive line help from 6’6”, 310 pound Daniel Glauser and 6’7” 320 pound Menelik Watson, both of which are rated among the top-five junior college offensive linemen nationally.
Pound-for-pound, this smaller class is as good as any in the country. And no team is bringing in a higher percentage of blue-chip (four-star or better) recruits from the high school ranks.
Going into National Signing Day, the Seminoles look to try to close at an elite level. Potential prospects that the coaches have been looking to close with include five star defensive tackle, Eddie Goldman; four star cornerback Ronald Darby; four star defensive end Leonard Williams, defensive back Colin Blake, and four star linebacker and current Miami commitment Reggie Northup. Also, the coaches turned up the heat late on prospects five star cornerback Tracy Howard, four star linebacker Josh Harvey-Clemmons, and late bloomer offensive linemen Adam Duckett.
Expect Florida State to close strong and end with a top-five class in the nation and potentially push Alabama and Texas for the top class in the country. Class size is the only limiting factor for the Seminoles.
