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FSU Football: Why 2020 commit changing high school programs is puzzling

By Jason Parker

ARLINGTON, TX - AUGUST 30: A Florida State Seminoles cheerleader runs a flag on the field before a game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on August 30, 2014 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX - AUGUST 30: A Florida State Seminoles cheerleader runs a flag on the field before a game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on August 30, 2014 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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One of the top FSU football commits for the upcoming class is oddly transferring from one of the top programs in the state to a quite smaller school.

For much of this past decade, the FSU football team has benefited from the success of one high school program in South Florida – a team from Miami Central High School that won five state titles over a six season period and sent two of the best running backs to play for the Noles in both Devonta Freeman and Dalvin Cook.

This coming recruiting class, it was all set up that the Rockets would send another top recruit to Tallahassee after four star defensive back Jalen Harrell made the decision this past April that he wanted to be a part of what will be the third recruiting class in the tenure of head coach Willie Taggart.

However, it seems as if while Harrell is still firmly committed to FSU football at this point he is not as committed to being a member of the Miami Central family – after the news this week that he is transferring schools for his senior season.


Now, for those who aren’t up on the high school talent in South Florida, the school Harrell is transferring two isn’t a slouch when it comes to producing talent – having sent plenty of players to the FBS level while winning state championships twice this decade, most recently coming during the 2018 season.

While Harrell isn’t going from – just using an example here – a FSU football team to someone like FIU with this move, it still brings up the question: why would you leave one of the top high school programs in the state of Florida to head to a private school in Hialeah?

Was this a move for playing time? Is there something going on with the academics that made Harrell decide that playing for the Lions was a better move than continuing to play for the Rockets? Why go from a top powerhouse program to a top program…in one of the lower classifications?

As we move closer to signing day, Harrell may give more of an indication about why this move took place – but as long as he stays committed to the Seminoles, that’s really all that matters.

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