FSU football has signed a ton of blue chip players over the past decade. However, some of their best players were three-star recruits.
FSU football averaged a top five recruiting class for the better part of the last decade. Before the former coach lost control of the program and bolted for another destination leaving the 2018 recruiting class in shambles.
The former regime was great and finding those diamonds in the rough that either changed positions or found their niche to be excellent contributors to the team.
FSU football signed 83 three-star recruits from 2009 through 2017. I know that’s not quite a decade, but that time frame is almost entirely representative of what the past regime brought in recruit wise.
That’s an average of just over nine three-star recruits per class for those with revisionist history who forgot the old regime wasn’t able to bring in a 70 percent blue chip ratio.
A decent amount of those three star recruits became contributors or good players but as we know a large number of players recruited by the old regime never panned out.
However, this piece is about the best three-star recruits signed in the last decade. Let’s take a look at who made the list. Let me know if you disagree or not!
Fred Jones
Fred Jones signed with the Noles as part of the 2014 recruiting class. He was a legacy recruit who didn’t even have a national ranking and was considered the No. 83 defensive tackle in the nation.
His average rating was .8199 and was the lowest ranked three-star in the entire class. Needless to say Fred Jones went to work in the weight room and eventually became a solid contributor on the FSU defensive line under the tutelage of Odell Haggins.
Jones played in 10 games his redshirt freshman season in 2015 and finished with eight tackles. His sophomore season saw Jones play in all 13 games with two starts and finished the season with 15 tackles.
Jones once again played in all 13 games in redshirt junior season totaling 18 tackles and his first half sack of his career.
The 2018 season was one of the worst in decades for the Noles, but Jones had his most productive season in just 10 games with eight starts.
He finished the season with 26 tackles, four tackles for loss, two sacks, two QB hurries and three passes broken up.
Jones played in 46 games with 10 starts…recorded 67 tackles, including eight tackles for loss with 2.5 sacks, and three pass breakups. He was also a good student in the classroom making the ACC Academic Honor Roll multiple times.
Cory Durden
Cory Durden signed with the Noles as part of Jimbo Fisher’s final complete class. He along with his cousin Ja’Len Parks and Marvin Wilson formed one of the best defensive tackle classes in the nation.
Durden was considered the No. 361 ranked player nationally and the No. 24 ranked defensive tackle in the nation and the No. 45 player in the state of Florida.
His overall player rating was .8864 and was rated lower than his cousin Parks who was considered a four-star recruit. Parks has yet to play a snap in an actual game for the Noles due to redshirting and injuries.
Durden redshirted his freshman season along with Parks, but surprised folk with his production last season as a redshirt freshman.
He played in all 12 games and tallied one start while totaling 22 tackles, six tackles for loss, two sacks, a blocked kick, QB hurry and one pass breakup.
He’s expected to play starter snaps in 2019 alongside Marvin Wilson and should be a force to be reckoned with. Durden’s on this list more so based on potential, but he did have more tackles for loss than five-star Marvin Wilson last season.
Tamorrion Terry
Tamorrion Terry joined the Noles late in Jimbo Fisher’s final recruiting class in 2017. He and his teammate Ontaria Wilson committed to the Noles just a couple of weeks prior to signing day hailing from a rural part of Georgia.
He was considered the No. 350 ranked player nationally and No. 52 ranked wide receiver while considered the No. 34 player in the state of Georgia.
Terry had a player rating of .8883 when he signed and redshirted for whatever reason in the 2018 season. He’s a prime example of the former regime losing their edge and not letting the best players get opportunities.
Terry burst onto the scene as the lone spot on the worst FSU football offense in decades. He started in 11 of 12 games and tallied 35 receptions for 744 yards with eight touchdowns.
Terry was among the national leaders in yards per reception at 21.26 ypc and averaged nearly three receptions per game.
He’s expected to be one of the goto players in the passing phase of the offense for Kendal Briles in 2019 and could potentially leave early for the NFL Draft.
Jesus “Bo Bo” Wilson
Jesus Wilson came to the Noles as part of the 2013 class that featured a ton of dead weight overall.
Wilson was considered the No. 494 ranked player nationally and the No. 69 ranked wide receiver while being considered the No. 75 player in the state of Florida.
He had a per player rating of .8681 and was the lowest ranked receiver in the class while becoming arguably the most productive.
Wilson played in 11 games as a true freshman and caught three passes for 23 yards and had eight punt returns for 89 yards. His sophomore season saw a huge increase in production with Jameis Winston under center.
Wilson finished the season with 42 receptions for 527 yards and four touchdowns. He also helped on special teams with 10 kickoff returns for 228 yards.
If fans thought his production was due to having Winston under center, Wilson was even more productive his junior season with Everett Golson and Sean Maguire splitting QB duties.
He was second on the team with 58 receptions for 622 yards and three touchdowns and was the team leader in punt returns.
Unfortunately his senior season was cut short due to a foot injury. However, he still finished with 30 receptions for 390 yards and a touchdown. Most don’t realize it but Wilson finished No. 11 in career receptions while at FSU and is currently in the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Terrance Brooks
Terrance Brooks joined the Noles as part of Jimbo Fisher’s first recruiting class in 2010. He was the No. 437 ranked player nationally and No. 30 cornerback.
He was considered the No. 68 best player in the state of Florida and had a player rating of .8795.
Brooks played mostly on special teams his freshman season and tallied two tackles in 10 games. His sophomore season saw him play in 11 games with 17 tackles, five passes defended and an interception.
Brooks really came into his own his junior season as he cracked the starting lineup at safety in all 14 games. He tallied 51 total tackles with two interceptions and four passes defended and a forced fumble.
His senior season saw him start all 14 games on the BCS National Championship team while totaling 56 tackles, two interceptions and eight tackles for loss.
Brooks was an All-American First Team selection and All-American Honorable Mention and All-ACC player who was selected in the Baltimore Ravens in the third round of the 2014 NFL Draft.
Cam Erving
Cam Erving joined the Noles as part of Jimbo Fisher’s first recruiting class as head coach in 2010.
He came to FSU football as a defensive tackle that was ranked No. 851 nationally and No. 69 defensive tackle in the nation and the No. 70 player from Georgia.
Erving redshirted his freshman year but saw time in 2011 as a reserve defensive tackle. He tallied 20 tackle and 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack on the season.
However, it was his redshirt sophomore season that saw him make the switch to the offensive line which would ultimately help him become the No. 19 player selected overall in 2014.
Erving was named the Jacobs Blocking Trophy recipient in back-to-back years and helped Devonta Freeman become the first running back to break the 1,000 yard barrier in nearly two decades.
He made the move to center for the final five games of his FSU football career which helped the Noles capture another ACC title and reach the inaugural College Football Playoff against Oregon.
He was named All-ACC and All-American by multiple publications in 2013-14 but largely considered a bust by NFL standards.
Dustin Hopkins
Dustin Hopkins was the FSU kicker that wore the gold shoes! He came to the Noles as part of the 2009 recruiting class.
It should be noted almost all kickers are rated as three-stars or less and Hopkins was no difference even though he was the No. 1 kicker in the nation coming out of high school.
His player rating was .8604 and he was considered the No. 721 ranked player nationally. Hopkins was a four-year starter who made 88 of 112 career field goals and 202 of 207 extra points.
At this time his FSU career ended he had set a new NCAA career scoring record for kickers (466 points and new NCAA, ACC and FSU records with 88 career field goals.
He posted 140 points to set a new ACC all-time single season scoring mark. Hopkins was named All-ACC and All-American by multiple publications.
He was also a Lou Groza Award Finalist and went on to be selected in the 2013 NFL Draft in the sixth round by the Buffalo Bills.
Xavier Rhodes
Xavier Rhodes came to FSU football as part of the 2009 recruiting class as a wide receiver. He was considered the No. 691 player nationally and No. 88 wide receiver while being listed as the No. 101 player in the state of Florida.
Rhodes redshirted his freshman year after playing in two games before suffering an injury that ended his season.
However, when Rhodes returned his redshirt freshman season it was as the starting boundary cornerback. He started all 14 games and was a consensus freshman All-American and was a National Defensive Freshman All-American by one publication.
He finished that season with 57 total tackles, four interceptions and 16 passes defended. Rhodes saw his production go down his sophomore season mainly with teams avoiding throwing his direction.
He finished the season with 43 tackles, one interception and four passes defended. Rhodes’ final season in Tallahassee resulted in being a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award. He had 39 tackles and 10 passes defended with three interceptions.
Rhodes went on to be selected in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings and has been named All-Pro.
Roberto Aguayo
Roberto Aguayo is arguably the greatest kicker in FSU football history. He joined the Noles with the 2012 recruiting class and was considered the No. 3 kicker in the nation and No. 791 player nationally.
His player rating was .8561 which was lower than Dustin Hopkins. Aguayo actually redshirted during Hopkins’ senior season.
However, Aguayo’s redshirt season when he assumed the starting role helped the Noles land their third National Championship. It was one of the best seasons for a kicker in NCAA history and helped the Noles set the all time scoring record.
He became FSU’s third Lou Groza Award winner and was selected to All-ACC and All-American teams.
Aguayo became a consensus All-American in 2014, All-ACC and a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award.
He finished his FSU football career making 198 of 198 extra points and 69 of 78 field goals. Aguayo was selected in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.