FSU football met a need with the addition of Jake Slaughter to the 2021 recruiting class. I discuss the impact he will have on the ‘Noles program.
FSU football added three-star offensive lineman Jake Slaughter to the 2021 recruiting class Monday.
It was a move that had been in the works for quite some time with Slaughter visiting campus several times since being offered by the old staff last year.
He’s considered the No. 585 ranked player overall and No. 6 offensive center and No. 86 player in Florida according to 247 Composite Rankings.
Slaughter’s commitment and thoughts can be seen below:
Slaughter holds 22 offers including schools like FSU, Miami, Missouri, Georgia Tech, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Vanderbilt, Virginia, and others.
He has good size at 6’4″ 300 pounds and is considered the best offensive center in Florida.
FSU football now has five commitments in its 2021 recruiting class, which is considered the No. 22 class in the nation.
Slaughter is the first high school offensive lineman taken by Mike Norvell. Let’s take a look at how his commitment impacts the Noles.
Position of Need
The Noles needed an offensive center in this recruiting class with Baveon Johnson and Andrew Boselli both being redshirt seniors who will not be available in 2021.
Redshirt junior Brady Scott can play multiple positions, including center, but will also be gone before Slaughter is ready to play a few years from now.
I don’t expect Slaughter to be an early contributor as most offensive linemen need a year to redshirt and continue maturing physically.
He has a nice frame and should be able to put make big gains with Coach Storms and the nutrition staff that’s being used by Mike Norvell.
Slaughter has a good motor and the ability to anchor with a strong lower body, which is critical for a center to avoid giving up the pressure up the middle.
I think he’ll be a player for the Noles and has the mindset you want in an offensive lineman.
Momentum
Jake Slaughter is a player the staff has been working on for some time, who’s a quality player despite the three-star ranking.
It’s not common to see many offensive linemen to receive higher than a three-star ranking for those not in the know.
I’ve written many times, recruiting has a lot to do with momentum. It’s similar to a baseball team getting hits on offense it’s contagious, and look no further than the Noles getting another commit shortly after Slaughter announced.
Momentum is even more important during this temporary dead period implemented by the NCAA. The new staff is trying to show recruits they are going to turn things around, which takes trust in their vision.
There’s nothing more powerful than quality players committing to the program. Just as players de-committing often bring a negative connotation, adding players makes other recruits take notice and maybe a second look at the Noles.
They’ll take all the help they can get when it comes to offensive line recruitment.
Final Thoughts
The FSU football recruiting staff has done a great job of identifying the biggest needs on the roster.
They’ve already addressed the quarterback position, linebacker, defensive end, and now offensive line. All of these positions are critical and positions that were largely neglected by the old staff.
The sheer organization and attention to detail have been refreshing with the coaching staff leaving no stone unturned on the recruiting trails.
They’ve been active on with traditional high school players as well as the transfer portal. In fact, they’ve added several pieces in the past week that will help address depth:
- Meiko Dotson (cornerback) transferring from FAU
- Deonte Williams (defensive end) transferring from Baylor
- Fabien Lovett (defensive tackle) transferring from Mississippi State
Slaughter in the fold means the coaching staff can use him to help recruit while focusing resources towards other targets. The Noles are still in need of more big dogs in the trenches on both sides of the ball.