FSU Football loads up on need positions early in December signing period

FSU football knew entering Wednesday that it was needing players on the offensive line and secondary among other spots and didn’t hesitate to get players.

When your team goes 5-7 and has the first losing campaign in over four decades, there is a lot of work that needs to be done – so for the FSU football team, the 2019 signing period is crucial to rebuilding the team and making sure there is not another losing season for another four decades.

With the three day early signing period getting underway on Wednesday, the Seminoles were able to capitalize on the recruiting abilities of head coach Willie Taggart and his assistants – and all involved wasted no time addressing those positions of need for the Noles in the 2019 season and beyond even before noon on day one.

One of the main areas was the offensive line, which was an embarrassment to FSU football this season and a main reason for the failures on offense this past season. The Seminoles got a big upgrade with the signing of JuCo offensive tackle Jay Williams.

Williams is expected to be joined by two other top offensive line recruits – Dontae Lucas and Maurice Smith, both from the Miami area – who could all be in the conversation for starting playing time in the early parts of the 2019 season.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Seminoles also needed a major upgrade in the secondary after last season – going out and signing two players early Wednesday that included three star prospect Renardo Green from Apopka and four star Jarvis Brownlee from Miami, who was committed to the hometown Canes just last week.

In total, FSU football signed seven players from the front seven of the defense before 12 p.m. Wednesday to help replace players like Brian Burns and Demarcus Christmas and build a linebacker group that was depleted for much of last season – including four star defensive end Derrick McLendon from Georgia and four star linebackers Jaleel McRae from New Smyrna Beach and Kalen DeLoach from Georgia.

FSU football is still waiting to hear from several other recruits Wednesday and over the final two days of the early period – including offensive lineman Will Putnam from Tampa, who could be another player in the conversation to start next season at some point.