FSU football: Blue-chip 2024 DB Cai Bates sets OV to the Noles

FSU football has one defensive back committed for its 2024 recruiting class in three-star safety CJ Heard. However, the Noles have begun to position themselves and their defensive back recruiting board, with several targets officially visiting FSU this month.

The latest target to set up an official visit is blue-chip cornerback Cai Bates. Bates will officially visit FSU on Sunday, June 11, at the same time as another highly-touted blue-chip defensive back, Jameer Grimsley.

Bates ranks as the No. 223 player and No. 17 cornerback nationally. He ranks as the No. 32 player in the Sunshine State, checking in at 6’1.5″ and 180 pounds. Bates has great length while running track and playing basketball in high school. He hails from Edgewater High School in Orlando, Florida.

Bates released his top 10 schools list a few days ago, with FSU making the list, so it’s a great sign they will get one of his official visits. He’ll officially visit Alabama (June 2), Tennessee (June 16), and LSU (June 23).

Colorado, Ohio State, Maryland, Florida, Texas A&M, and UCF are competing for the final official visit. Bates received his FSU offer in February 2023 and visted in March. Miami was the first in-state school to offer, but they don’t seem to factor in his recruitment even though he’s visited there.

Florida offered after the Noles and made his top 10, but don’t have an official visit yet. If he’s looking to stay in-state, FSU is in the best position.

They could lose both starting cornerbacks after the 2023 season and have a proven defensive backs coach in Patrick Surtain.

FSU is in a great position with five-star Charles Lester III, and a defensive backs haul with Lester, Bates, and Grimsley would be out of this world. All three have great length and size, which seems to fit a trend with who Surtain targets. Stay tuned to Chopchat for more recruiting news and analysis.