FSU Football: Can Noles land top 10 Florida products in 2019 class?
By Jason Parker
FSU football is already busy getting the next group of players ready to sign with the Seminoles – can they get the top Sunshine State talent to Tallahassee?
During the 2018 recruiting cycle, the FSU football team made national headlines when they went from one of the worst classes for a Power Five program – showing how the former coaching staff had let the team down – into a class that was a consensus top 15 group with Willie Taggart and his full staff being on the job for about one month.
Of course, in the world of college football recruiting, you’re only as good as what you’ve done lately – so people are already wanting to see what FSU football can do with the #Tribe19 group that Taggart and staff are working on putting together to sign starting this December.
Of course, if the Seminoles are going to succeed, they need to get back to recruiting the state of Florida better than their two rivals – Florida and Miami – as well as the upstart schools in the state.
Right now, the Noles have one of the top 10 recruits according to 247 Sports – No. 4 Akeem Dent, a five star cornerback from West Palm Beach’s Central High – while Georgia, Clemson and Miami have one player each committed, leaving six players still undecided with a whole summer and fall to go. Here’s a look at what chances FSU football has of landing each one:
No. 2 Trey Sanders (RB – IMG Academy, Bradenton)
At one point in March, there was a 80 percent prediction percentage of this five star heading to Tallahassee. Now, that number is down to 18 percent with Florida (47) and Alabama (29) ahead of the Noles.
No. 5 Evan Neal (OT – IMG Academy, Bradenton)
This four star prospect was at a 14 percent chance last month, but it now seems to be a two horse race between Miami (86) and Alabama (14).
No. 6 Noah Cain (RB – IMG Academy, Bradenton)
At one point, this four star prospect was all in on Oklahoma, but now predictions have him heading to Texas (65 percent) with Ohio State and LSU in a distant tie for second place (12 each)
No. 7 Deyavie Hammond (OG – IMG Academy, Bradenton)
This four star prospect doesn’t have any predictions of late, but decommitted from Alabama earlier this year and took an unofficial visit to Florida during the spring.
No. 9 Tyrique Stevenson (CB – Miami Southridge)
Right now, it looks like the hometown Hurricanes are in the lead for this four star prospect (86 percent) with the rival Florida Gators coming in second (14).
No. 10 Khris Bogie (DE – Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons)
At one time, this four star prospect was all in on FSU football. Of late, however, the Miami Hurricanes have come up and taken over the lead (69 percent) with the Seminoles in a distance second (39).
FSU football is still considered to be the leader for several other top Sunshine State prospects – including No. 14 William Putnam, a four star offensive guard from Tampa Plant as well as No. 15 John Dunmore, a four star wide receiver from Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna who was once committed to Florida.
Next: Noles make top seven for four-star receiver
Needless to say, with over six months to go until the early national signing day period, there is still plenty of time for everything to change between now and then – and time for Taggart and company to come in and do work for #Tribe19.