FSU football: Impact of 5-star KJ Bolden flipping to Georgia
By Kelvin Hunt
Class Ranking and Optics
FSU losing Bolden from the class means the Noles dropped to No. 6 nationally(subject to change as FSU could still add or lose players). It will be the third consecutive year FSU lost a highly ranked or the top-ranked commit on Early Signing Day. Travis Hunter ws in 2022 and Keldric Faulk in 2023. Listen, FSU has signed excellent players, several inside the top 100. However, the poor optics of missing out on the truly elite high school players can't be denied. However, the way the transfer portal works, high school players can sign and leave after one year.
Just because a school signs a player doesn't mean anything, see Sam McCall from the 2022 recruiting class. Some folks will call this making excuses, but it's a reality in today's college football world. How is it possible a guy grew up an FSU fan, FSU never lost a game, he visited a gazillion times, and FSU had the final official visit, only to flip to another school? It's not that Patrick Surtain can't recruit, just look at the loaded secondary who signed. There was immediate playing time available. Sometimes we have to accept there is no logic or rationale with teenagers and their camp. Either way, FSU has to find a way to avoid these optics in the future.