FSU football: Top 12 players developed in Mike Norvell era

Who Says FSU can't Recruit and Develop Players?
Nov 18, 2023; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Jordan Travis (13) throws a pass during the warm ups against the North Alabama Lions at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Morgan Tencza-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 18, 2023; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Jordan Travis (13) throws a pass during the warm ups against the North Alabama Lions at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Morgan Tencza-USA TODAY Sports / Morgan Tencza-USA TODAY Sports
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It's funny how rival fans like to troll and joke about FSU football recruiting. First, it was the staff couldn't recruit high school players. Second, it was they only used the transfer portal. Third, it was they didn't develop either. Here's the kicker. FSU has beaten Miami and Florida on the field multiple years, had an undefeated season, and had more NFL Draft picks in April than either team and any other team in the ACC. Honestly, there's a subset of FSU football fans who have been slow to understand the recruiting strategy used by the staff. There's still a large contingent of fans who believe you must have a top high school recruiting class to make some noise.

However, that's false because schools can pad their high school recruiting ranking with quantity over quality. FSU coaches have smartly chosen to take smaller high school classes while taking talented guys from the transfer portal. The advantage is the transfer portal players can contribute immediately in most cases because they're physically more mature. However, they must still be developed on the field to be effective. FSU has blended the two facets nearly perfectly, and why they've ascended as one of the top programs nationally. Folks say the staff can't develop players? Here are my top 12 players developed by the staff in the Mike Norvell era.