FSU football: What should Noles do at defensive tackle recruiting?
FSU football has one defensive tackle prospect committed to their 2024 recruiting class in three-star Jamorie Flagg from Booker T. Washington High School in Miami, Florida.
Need for more defensive tackles
However, the coaching staff has expressed interest in being able to secure one or two more prospects at the position since redshirt seniors such as Fabien Lovett Sr., Braden Fiske, and Dennis Briggs Jr. (hybrid defensive lineman) will all have their eligibilities exceed after this season.
Trust Odell
Associate head coach/defensive tackles coach Odell Haggins is entering his 30th season on Florida State’s coaching staff this upcoming year.
Coach Haggins has seen it all when it comes to FSU football and has developed many players that have been successful in the NFL.
Defensive tackle outlook in 2024
The defensive tackle position room will be quite interesting for the Seminoles in 2024 as it will feature Malcolm Ray, Darrell Jackson Jr., Joshua Famer, Ayobami Tifase, Daniel Lyons, Keith Sampson, and potentially Jamorie Flagg.
While that is a group that is supremely talented, it comes with risk, given that only Jackson and Ray have more than five collegiate games started.
2024 recruiting targets to monitor
With that said, I believe that it is vitally important that the Seminoles continue to acquire talented recruits on the recruiting trail and in the transfer portal.
Four-star LJ McCray, four-star Artavius Jones, and three-star D’Nas White were considered the main targets at the position.
Jones commits to Miami
Unfortunately, four-star Artavius Jones decided to commit to the arch-rival Miami Hurricanes Friday afternoon. The Seminoles offered the talented defensive tackle later in the process in February, and he only unofficially visited campus once in March.
Need McCray in Tallahassee
This means it is vital to get four-star LJ McCray back on FSU’s campus when the recruiting dead period is over at the end of July. Schools such as Florida, Miami, Auburn, and Georgia are pursuing him.
While he has an official visit set for Tallahassee on October 7th, when the Seminoles play Virginia Tech, it could be too late for the coaching staff to get involved in the recruitment.