FSU football: Impact of ‘DD’ Holmes commitment to Noles
By Kelvin Hunt
Need and Momentum
Coach John Papuchis caught a raw deal with losing blue-chip defensive end Keldric Faulk at the 11th hour in the last recruiting cycle. I don’t blame him for it, and I’ll say I’m happy FSU used its resources wisely.
FSU needed some momentum on the defensive recruiting side of things, and Holmes fits a need and is the first blue-chip defensive commit in the 2024 class. I know some fans were critical of Papuchis in this recruiting cycle because FSU hadn’t landed anyone defensive ends, specifically blue-chip defensive ends.
However, it’s a game of patience and relationship building. FSU was one of the first schools to offer Holmes in June 2022. It’s not like all of the defensive end targets had already committed elsewhere, and there was no shot.
The commitment of Holmes will hopefully help open up that DMV area once again(and the potential of Elijah Moore committing on July 4 helps too).
Holmes displays excellent instinct and seems to have a high football IQ. He doesn’t blinded pin his ears back on every play, and go after the quarterback, and can set the edge against the run. He snuffs out screens, and shows excellent pursuit for someone his size in his highlights.
He’s still a bit raw, but there’s a LOT to like here. He’s someone that could get on the field sooner than later, especially if he’s an early enrollee.