Florida State loses commitment from three-star defensive lineman

FSU's recruiting class just got a little lighter.

3-star defensive line prospect James "Tank" Carrington has decommitted from the Seminoles almost two months to the day that he made his pledge to the program. Carrington, listed at 6-foot-2, 255 pounds, was basically down to FSU and Nebraska when he made his commitment. Last month the Irvine, California native said he was "done with recruiting".

Carrington has been a national prospect since he was a sophomore, but his star has dimmed quite a bit over the past year as scouting reports suggested he was "maxed out" physically and his measurables didn't quite meet up with blue-chip defensive linemen, despite a reported 80" wingspan. Both 247Sports and On3/Rivals have Carrington rated in the 450-500 range in terms of national prospects. 

Carrington has had an interesting prep career. He burst on the scene playing prep football at St. Frances Academy in Baltimore and then Rabun Gap HS in Georgia with a lot of fanfare as one of the top-rated sophomore defensive linemen. Carrington eventually left Georgia and transferred to renowned national program Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas for a pretty productive junior season. He is now at Cream Lutheran in California.

As programs started to ease off of Carrington, Nebraska was one that stayed active with him through his junior season. So, it only made sense that when defensive line coach Terrence Knighton migrated from Lincoln to Tallahassee, that he would tap into that relationship. 

"I'm excited to learn from Coach Knighton and Coach Haggins as well,"  Carrington said to 247Sports. "Especially Coach Haggins. He has been there for 32 yards. He's got a lot of experience to offer me and to develop me as well as a player and a person. I'm very excited."

My thoughts: A loss to the class, but one that can be replaced

FSU's defensive line class consisted of Carrington, four-star prospect Earnest Rankins and three-star prospects Tico Crittendon and Wihtley Cadeau, all from Georgia. 

Carrington felt like a solid piece within the group and a good scheme fit. With time in the weight program, he would be big enough to line up inside while still having the arm length to be a good edge player against the run. But I don't believe Carrington has a lot of upside as an every-down player. He would be a very effective rotational piece and a player that FSU would work to recruit over. 

I believe Crittendon is a hidden gem and should be rated higher. That might come as he progresses through his senior season. It wouldn't surprise me if his ranking approaches that of Rankins, who is one of the highest-rated players in the class. Cadeau is more of a project with very good size and some tools. Honestly, it wouldn't surprise me if he ended up on the offensive line.

So is Carrington a huge loss? No. But I do believe FSU has to add another defensive lineman in the class now.