Check out Florida State, Florida, UCF recruiting classes as signing day approaches
December 18, 2023 at 9:52 am Florida State Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell raises the ACC championship trophy with his players after the game against the Louisville Cardinals at Bank of America Stadium.
FSU’s joy would be short-lived. Florida State Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell raises the ACC championship trophy with his players after the game against the Louisville Cardinals at Bank of America Stadium.
FSU’s joy would be short-lived.
BOB DONNA USA TODAY
Sports The Florida State Seminoles and Florida Gators had very different seasons in 2023. The Seminoles are a perfect 13-0 but missed the College Football Playoff, ending up in the Orange Bowl instead.
The Gators went 5-7 in his second year under coach Billy Napier. But the in-state rivals have one thing in common: They both enter signing day with top-five recruiting classes.
The Seminoles’ class is ranked third in the nation according to the 247Sports composite rankings, while the Gators aren’t too far behind at fifth.
Meanwhile, the UCF Knights have their top-30 class after their first season in the Big 12. Here’s a quick look at the status of the non-Miami Hurricanes Power 5 schools in the state of Florida heading into signing day.
Booker T. Washington Tornado quarterback Claudell Sherman (5) runs with the ball as Central Rockets defensive end Armondo Blount (18) tries to tackle him during the second quarter of a high school football game at Nathaniel Traz Powell Stadium on Friday, Sept. 8. 2023, Miami, Fla. Booker T. Washington Tornadoes quarterback Claudell Sherman (5) runs with the ball as Central Rockets linebacker Armondo Blount (18) tries to tackle him during the second quarter of a high school football game at Nathaniel Traz Powell Stadium, Friday,
Sept. 8 2023. , Miami, Fla. MATIAS J. OCNER mocner@miamiherald.com Florida State Seminoles The Seminoles are coming off their highest-rated recruiting class since 2016 — assuming they can hold onto all of their top prospects.
Among the big men with a local track: four-star Miami Central defensive lineman Armondo Blount, who originally committed to Miami in September before transferring to FSU in late October.
Blount visited UM last weekend. In addition to Blount, the Seminoles’ 23-man roster Monday includes four South Florida players: Blount, Miami Norland four-star linebacker Jamari Howard, Miami Central four-star wide receiver Lawayne McCoy and Miami four-star defensive lineman Booker T. Washington. Jamorie Flagg.
Five-star safety KJ Bolden from Buford, Georgia headlines FSU’s nearly two dozen commitments. FSU 2024 Football Commitments QB: Luke Kromenhoek, Savannah (Georgia) Benedictine Military School; RB: Kameron Davis, Albany (Ga.) Dougherty; RB: Michai Danzy, FSU School of Tallahassee; WR: Lawayne McCoy, Miami Central; WR: Elijah Moore, Olney (Maryland) Good advice; WR: BJ Gibson, Rochelle (GA) Wilcox County; WR: Camdon Frier, Lake City Columbia; TE: Landen Thomas, Moultrie (Georgia) Colquitt County; OT: Manasse Itete, Modesto (Calif.) Central Catholic; OT: Jonathan Daniels, Pensacola Pine Forest; OT: Tye Hylton, Oviedo; OT: Jayden Todd, Dublin (GA) West Laurens; DL: DD Holmes, Washington (Dc) Gonzaga; DL: Jamorie Flagg, Miami Booker T. Washington; Edge: Armondo Blount, Miami Central; LB: Jayden Parrish, Delray Beach Atlantic; LB: Timir Hickman-Collins, Fort Mill (S.C.) Indian Land; CB: Charles Lester III, Venice; CB: Jamari Howard, Miami Norland; CB: Ricky Knight III, West Palm Beach Cardinal Newman; S: KJ Bolden, Buford (Georgia); ATH: Cai Bates, Orlando Edgewater; Q: Jake Weinberg, Delray Beach American Heritage Florida Gators recruit DJ Lagway listens to Florida Gators offensive analyst Ryan O’Hara’s postgame call during the Florida Gators Orange and Blue Spring Game at Steve Spurrier Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Fla., Thursday the April 13, 2023.
Florida Gators recruit DJ Lagway listens to Florida Gators quarterback offensive analyst Ryan O’Hara after the game during the Florida Gators Orange vs. Blue Spring game at Steve Spurrier Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Thursday, April 13, 2023. Matt Pendleton
USA TODAY NETWORK
Florida Gators There are no South Florida players among the 20 commitments of the Gators, but the group includes four of the top 50 high school players this cycle: five-star defensive end LJ McCray, five-star quarterback DJ Lagway, five-star cornerback.
Xavier Filsaime and four-star defensive lineman Amaris Williams. UF is targeting a top recruiting class to add to its roster after a couple of lackluster seasons to start Napier’s tenure.
In 2023, UF went 5-7 after going 6-7 in 2022. UF 2024 Football Commitments QB: DJ Lagway, Willis (Texas); RB: Kahnen Daniels, West Point (Mississippi); WR: Jerrae Hawkins, Bradenton IMG Academy; WR: Tawaski Abrams, Fort Myers Dunbar; WR: Isaiah Williams, Tampa Carrollwood Day; TE: Amir Jackson, Portal (Georgia); OT: Fletcher Westphal, Leesburg (Va.) Tuscarora; OT: Mike Williams, Upper Marlboro (Maryland) Charles Herbert Flowers; OT: Marcus Mascoll, Snellville (Georgia) South Gwinnett; IOL: Noel Portnjagin, Germany; DL: LJ McCray, Daytona Beach Mainland; DL: Amaris Williams, Clinton (NC); DL: Brien Taylor, Brenham (Texas) Blinn College; DL: Michai Boireau, Fairburn (Georgia) Creekside; LB: Myles Graham, Gainesville Buchholz; LB: Aaron Chiles, Good Counselor of Our Lady of Olney, Maryland; LB: Adarius Hayes, Largo; CB: Xavier Filsaime, McKinney (Texas); CB: Teddy Foster, Sarasota Cardinal Mooney; S: Josiah Davis, Nashville (Georgia) Berrien; UCF Knights Among UCF’s 19 verbal commitments is one player from South Florida: Fort Lauderdale’s St. Thomas Aquinas linebacker Stacy Gage, who committed to the Knights in June.
Elsewhere, the Knights have four four-star prospects in their class: Texas running back Frankie Arthur, Melbourne Central Catholic wide receiver Ric’Darious Farmer and wide receivers Kylan Fox and Waltclaire Flynn Jr., who were teammates with Loganville (Georgia) Grayson.
Tall UCF 2024 Football Commitments QB: Riley Trujillo, Jacksonville Bartram Trail; QB: EJ Colson, Ellenwood (Georgia) Cedar Grove; RB: Frankie Arthur, Conroe (Texas) Oak Ridge; RB: Stacy Gage, Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas; WR: Ric’Darious Farmer, Melbourne Central Catholic; WR: Kylan Fox, Loganville (Ga.) Grayson; WR: Bredell Richardson, Tampa Carrollwood Day; WR: Kason Stokes, Seffner Armwood; WR: Jordyn Bridgewater, Winter Garden West Orange; OT: Chase Malamala, The Benjamin School of North Palm Beach;