FSU recruiting had been holding steady even thought the 2018 season has not gone as planned. The Noles lost a good one in the 2019 class Tuesday night.
FSU recruiting had been holding the No. 10 spot for quite some time with its 16 commitments for the 2019 cycle.
However, it took a blow Tuesday night when 4-star offensive tackle Charles Cross announced he would be decommiting from the Noles.
It wasn’t a huge shock as 247 crystal ball predictions began trending elsewhere over the past week or so. Those are not always accurate, but certainly proved to be the case this go around.
Cross is the No. 203 ranked player and No. 19 ranked offensive tackle in the nation hailing from Laurel, Mississippi.
The thing that hurts worst is FSU did a great job of getting in early on him before he became a four-star prospect and sealing his commitment but couldn’t keep it at a position where there’s a need for talented bodies.
Fan Reaction
Best of luck Charels. You fill a massive need at FSU and Frey is a beast. We would love to see you again but if not best of luck in life!
— Anonymoux (@frankyfiggz) November 21, 2018
I’m a die hard NOLE. But, I wish you luck wherever you land, young man. At the end of the day, you’ve got to do what’s BEST FOR YOU and YOUR FAMILY. Tune out the noise. You have a bright future no matter where you go.
— J.D. Hayes (@jaydhayes) November 21, 2018
We sure could have used you, however best of wishes to you and your family. #GodsPlan is always the best #Plan #NextManUp #FSU4Life 🍢🍢🍢💯
— 🗣️NoleGirl🪓🔥🔥 (@TracyBa4Noles) November 21, 2018
We really need you but we understand. Best of luck wherever you take your talent. 🍢
— Chase Griggers (@ChaseGriggers) November 21, 2018
Thoughts
I’m really proud of the most of the Nole fans that commented on the young man’s post. Almost all of the ones I saw were reflective of the sentiments above, but of course there were some that were over the top for grown ups talking to a teenager.
The fact of the matter is Charles Cross could have been a major player for FSU football in a couple of years. However, he wasn’t going to be a factor in the 2019 season as most offensive linemen need a year to redshirt to get stronger, etc.
FSU can plug this hole if they are able to land a JUCO offensive lineman who would fight for playing time in 2019.
The other thing to remember is it’s extremely difficult to get a kid from Mississippi to leave that state to play football. That’s what made FSU recruiting landing Cam Akers in 2017 all the more impressive.
The Noles now hold the No. 14 ranked class with 15 commitments and a 80 percent blue chip ratio.