Can Noles flip 2022 blue-chip target Jaron Willis from Georgia Tech?

FSU football coaches are in the mix for several blue-chip players in the 2022 recruiting cycle. One that was trending in FSU’s favor early on was four-star linebacker Jaron Willis.

Willis ultimately decided to commit to Georgia Tech on May 1st but has been made his rounds to different schools since the NCAA ended the recruiting dead period on June 1.

Willis appeared in Gainesville, Florida, for an unofficial visit on June 1. Willis officially visited Arkansas on June 4 and officially visited Georgia Tech on June 11. He had previously visited FSU and Georgia Tech for their spring games in April before announcing his commitment.

However, Willis will visit FSU football Friday, June 25, on his official visit. His high school teammate, FSU target Qae’Shon Sapp will be in Tallahassee on his official visit.

Can the Noles make up enough ground to potentially flip Willis from Georgia Tech down the road? It all comes down to which position makes the most sense for Willis in college. The FSU coaching staff recruits him at linebacker, and Georgia Tech’s pitch was as a hybrid safety.

Jaron Willis lists at 6’2″ and 220 pounds and has one year of high school left. It’s already a tough ask for him to play safety at his size. The odds of him staying at 220 pounds as his body physically matures in a college strength and conditioning program is about .000000001 percent.

If he’s going to play as a hybrid safety, playing down in the box at times? I’d think it makes the most sense to go ahead and move to linebacker.

It may help that FSU has Jammie Robinson on the roster, who transferred from South Carolina in the offseason. Robinson is a safety and could give some insight on how FSU plans to use him in the 4-2-5 scheme. Willis also has a good relationship with five-star FSU commit Travis Hunter Jr.

What’s giving me hope is Willis continues to take visits despite his Georgia Tech commitment. He has plans to officially visit the Florida Gators in September. If FSU can continue to engage him and get him on campus, I like their chances. Especially if the Noles again a commitment from teammate Qae’Shon Sapp on July 3.

We’ll see what he has to say once his official visit concludes over the weekend when the staff proves he’s still a priority target.