Florida State has landed one of the top available prospects left in the 2014 class, as five-star wide receiver Ermon Lane has pledged to the Seminoles.
5-star receiver recruit Ermon Lane signs with Florida State
After decommitting from Florida, the blue-chip wide receiver is heading to a different in-state destination.
SB Nation Recruiting photo
Listed at 6’3 and 193 pounds, Lane attends Homestead (Fla.) High School. He committed to Florida back in August, but reconsidered his pledge in January and decommitted. His commitment to the Seminoles was widely expected at that point, between his scheduled visit to the school in late January and a tweet in December showing him wearing a Florida State jacket.
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Lane is rated as a five-star prospect by Scout, Rivals and the 247Sports Composite. ESPN and 247Sports both rate him as a four-star prospect. He is considered the 24th-best prospect in the country by the 247Sports Composite, as well as the third-best wide receiver in the class and the fourth-best player in the state of Florida.
SB Nation’s Bud Elliott scouted Lane:
Lane has great size at 6’2 and 180 pounds. And he also has great speed. However, it’s what he does with that frame that makes him special. Many big and fast receivers in high school don’t have a great feel for the position. Lane does. It’s clear that Lane works on being a receiver. He doesn’t simply rely on his substantial physical gifts. He sets up defensive backs and doesn’t tip his route as much as the typical high school receiver.
Watching the highlight, he easily reaches his top speed and doesn’t struggle to accelerate out of his cuts, as many bigger receivers do. He’s also a natural catching the football, being particularly adept at catching the ball over his shoulder. Lane wins a tremendous amount of “50-50” balls because he elevates and catches the ball at its highest point.
Lane profiles as an elite deep threat who can also make the first defender miss on bubble screens. Because he is polished, Lane should either start immediately or play a substantial number of snaps as a freshman. Those looking for a similar receiver should pull up A.J. Green’s highlight film from the class of 2008.
As well as Florida, Lane chose the Seminoles over offers from Miami, Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, LSU and USC, among others. He joins another top wide receiver prospect, four-star Travis Rudolph, in Florida State’s class.
