Florida State Wednesday Open Recruiting Thread 01.20.10

It's Wednesday and that means we talk recruiting.  Normally FSUSOM would write the column but he is having some account troubles and is feeding me the info through e-mail.  While we know that many follow recruiting every hour of every day, our numbers indicate that people like getting their recruiting information in a once-weekly format.

Since Last Wednesday...

Florida State picked up two recruits in CB Terrence Mitchell and TE Will Tye.  To save space I'll avoid commenting on those two prospects as both have extensive profiles if you simply click on their names.  Both are excellent prospects.  Florida State has far and away the best crop of cornerbacks in the country.  FSU now has the #1 CB, the #5 CB, the #46 CB and the #2 JUCO CB.  No inside information here, but FSU's coaches must really feel bad about the returning crop of defensive backs.  While FSU may have failed to recruit enough numbers along the defensive line, they probably did a worse job evaluating the kids that they did take in the secondary. 

Defensive Endgame

The 'Noles new coaches scored a major victory simply by earning a visit from Rivals #3 DE/ ESPN #13 DT J.R. "Ego" Ferguson.  Don't expect a Ferguson commitment.  It's possible but even if they don't, getting kids on campus for a visit is huge because they will tell their friends that Tallahassee is awesome.  Getting highly rated kids into Tallahassee and Shula's Steakhouse on visits will help in subsequent years.  Most feel Ferguson will go to Cal (he loved his visit) or Miami (his dad was Randy Shannon's HS teammate and his mother lives close).  Of course, FSU commitment Darious Cummings is good friends with Ferguson, who has told anyone and everyone who will listen that he wants to play end.  If it happens that would be great.

DE Bjoern Werner, teammate of Will Tye, is rumored to have canceled his visit to Miami after loving his FSU visit.  It's likely down to FSU and Oregon for the 6'4" 265 lb Strongside-Defensive End.  Note that Werner was born in 1990 which would make him 20 years old during his freshman season.

DE J.C. Copeland, a Tennessee commitment thought to be vulnerable after the departure of Lane Kiffin, revealed that FSU's coaches told him they were full.  This means that FSU's coaches feel very good about their shot at other commitments on the defensive line, that they want to save some scholarships for later, or maybe both.  With FSU already having SDE Darious Cummings and looking good for Werner and potentially Corey Lemonier, the thought is that they simply do not have room for 4 defensive ends. 

Speaking of Cummings, if you haven't seen his film, watch this video.  In fact, this video has a ton of FSU commitments and likely commitments.  Please ignore the commentary.

Inside, we talk redshirts, greyshirts, new offensive line offers, and offer a projected class.  Click "continue reading"

Shirts of a different color

Because FSU LB commitment Holmes Onwukaife won't turn 18 until a few months after he graduates high school, he intends to redshirt.  If someone has the link to the blogger who scored his interview, let me know in the comment section and I will properly credit him. 

Reports from Tampa indicate that FSU has offered Tony Dungy's son a greyshirt opportunity (deferred enrollment to spring).  There are a number of reasons why FSU would do this and having Tony Dungy around the program would not be a bad thing.

Trickett makes his move

Aside from Brice Schwab whom we profiled in the last recruiting update, FSU is also on another kid.  NorthJersey.com reports that FSU is now involved with Dan Foose (insert Jersey Shore joke here). Foose is 6'6" 310 lbs.  He's very strong and also smart.  An extremely lean 310 lbs.  FSU offensive line coach Rick Trickett likes smart linemen and likes to evaluate based off senior year film.  Foose fits the profile.  His other offers are Virginia and Illinois, both of whom have put linemen in the league over the past few years.  With the loss of John Prior, FSU will likely take Foose if he wants to come.  The article says he will visit FSU or Virginia this weekend.  My money is on FSU getting the visit.  Here's some film of Foose from his senior year.  I think FSU will get Foose.

I believe DT Calvin Smith is taking a visit to Alabama.  He says he wants to go out of state.  Talking to Bama people, they are sure they want 1 more defensive lineman, but are not sure if Smith is the guy.  Realistically, Bama is the better program.  If they want Smith and he likes his visit, he belongs to the Tide.  Anyone who has been to Tallahassee, however, knows that it is essentially Valdosta-South and is in Florida by name only.  Getting Smith on a visit to Tallahassee could be big.    He is a teammate of DE recruit Corey Lemonier

Another Big Recruiting Weekend

I've heard that Terrence Brooks, Eric Dungy, Cameron Erving, J.R. Ferguson, Dan Foose, Brice Schwab, and Tank Sessions will be in town visiting this weekend. FSU is trying to get other commitments in town as well to show them a great time. Expect at least 1 commitment this weekend, probably Foose.

As always, refer to the recruiting board for any info you may need on these prospects!  (or click their story if a link is embedded in their name)

FSU will likely take more than 29 players in this class.  25 will count towards this class, 4 are back-counted to last year's class, and the remainder will greyshirt (enroll next Spring).  With that in mind, here's an chart for you with comments.

• If Terrell chooses to leave for Colorado or Ole Miss, it would not be a big loss.  FSU would simply take Kitchens. 
  
• If Terrence Brooks chooses to decommit, that would not be a big loss as FSU really doesn't need 4 corners in this class. 
  
• With FSU likely taking 6-8 DB's + Haggins, Nick Moody might move to linebacker.

So, given that, how does FSU finish?  Give your final 7, 8, 9, 10, or even 12 players.  We don't need you to re-type the guys who are currently committed.  Please make sure to keep it within the parameters of the above chart so that we can do like comparisons.  If you take more than 8 additional players, please denote the greyshits.  Does Nigel Terrell go elsewhere in your opinion?