FSU football: 2023 blue-chip DL Keith Sampson adds FSU to top 5 list

FSU football coaches know they need to add quality players among the defensive trenches in the 2023 class. Robert Cooper and Fabien Lovett will depart after the 2022 season, so it’s important to bring in quality high school players to develop.

One FSU target, 2023 Keith Sampson, announced Friday he added FSU to his top five list of schools.

FSU Director of High School Relations, Ryan Bartow, spoke recently about the defensive line talent in the Carolinas, so it’s good to see the Noles making some progress with one of the better players there.

Sampson lists 26 offers from the likes of FSU, Miami, North Carolina, NC State, Clemson, South Carolina, Ohio State, Alabama, Auburn, Duke, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame, and others.

He ranks as the No. 205 player and No. 28 defensive lineman nationally. Sampson lists as 6’3″ and 285 pounds.

Sampson originally included Georgia in his top five list of schools but removed them and added FSU football. He hails from New Bern, North Carolina, which is a small rural area towards the Outer Banks on the east coast of the state.

North Carolina has been cleaning up with in-state blue-chip recruits under Mack Brown, and Clemson has done well in the Tarheel State over the past few years. As you can see, it’s the Carolina schools with FSU and Ohio State in the mix of his top schools.

The Noles originally offered Sampson in May 2021. It’s going to be a tough pull, but at least the coaching staff is making the effort and looks like they’ll get him on campus next week at the beginning of spring practice.

He’s already visited the in-state schools and Clemson multiple times, but maybe the Noles can make up some ground with the visit next week? Stay tuned to see what his reaction is after visiting.