Florida State football, recruiting news: FSU hopes to have the most impactful transfers in the ACC

Football:

FSU’s two biggest transfers just might be the most impactful in the entire ACC.

There’s an obvious asterisk next to Milton’s name on this list. He’s finally coming back from his brutal, nearly career-ending knee injury three years ago. His durability and level of play will be a question mark. And, technically, he hasn’t won the starting job yet. But if he’s close to the player he was at UCF — he looked ready during FSU’s spring game — then Mike Norvell’s offense just upgraded its quarterback two-deep in a big, big way. Milton was a two-time AAC Offensive Player of the Year and previously finished sixth in the Heisman voting in 2018. He’s also a tremendous leader and is a good addition to the locker room. It’s possible that bringing in Milton may not work out exactly like either side hoped, but the chance that it does makes Milton a worthy selection.

And while Milton may grab a lot of headlines, Johnson is equally as impactful, if not more so, for the Seminoles. In eight games with Georgia a season ago, Johnson had four sacks and five tackles for loss off the edge. The former No. 1 JUCO recruit in 2019 never led the Bulldogs in sacks, but he was pretty active and disruptive. The Seminoles haven’t had a true threat off the edge since Brian Burns in 2018; since his departure, Florida State’s pass rush has gone in the wrong direction and was practically nonexistent last year. Johnson has the freakish athleticism to be an impact player for the Noles’ defense at a time when they desperately could use a disrupter.

Other Sports:

Borderline five-star point guard Jazian Gortman took his official visit to Florida State this past weekend; FSU and Wake Forest are early favorites for the fast-rising point guard.

FSU is second in TheAthletic’s early ACC rankings. (VIP)

Leonard Hamilton loses Scottie Barnes, M.J. Walker, Balsa Koprivica and RaiQuan Gray, but he’s still going strong, leading one of the league’s premier programs. His team will still be deep, loaded, athletic and skilled at all positions. Add in Caleb Mills, possibly Houston’s top player before transferring. Kentucky transfer Cam’Ron Fletcher comes in with a lot of upside. Five-star freshman Matthew Cleveland and four-star Jalen Warley were ranked in the top 30 nationally by 247Sports, and 7-foot-3 center Naheem McLeod is a top-10 juco prospect.

Hamilton has led the Seminoles to at least two victories in each of the last three NCAA Tournaments that were held, including a Sweet 16 trip in March. He’s beaten Top 25 teams with regularity. And the team’s best returning player, Anthony Polite, comes back as a sound decision-maker (10.1 ppg, 1.4 spg, 43.6 percent on 3s) who could contend for an All-ACC team. There’s too much talent, good coaching and strong player development for FSU not to finish near the top of the league. Again.

Multiple Seminoles earn first-team All-American honors on the last day of the NCAA Championships.

FSU’s newest first baseman hit .346 in JUCO.

Recruiting:

2023 RB Cedric Baxter was back on campus this weekend he decommitted from FSU in April but he’s still clearly interested in the ‘Noles:

Is FSU on the verge of landing linebacker Omar Graham, Jr?

He has announced a commitment date for June 26th.

Three-star Alabama offensive tackle Eston Harris, Jr. fits the prototype of what Coach Atkins looks for in his offensive tackles:

2023 Five-Star QB Dante Moore has been offered by FSU.

FSU also offered a four-star Bishop Gorman wide receiver.

2023 Five-star CB target Cormani McClain was on campus this weekend; he’s the teammate of Five-Star FSU commitment Sam McCall:

Alumni:

Jalen Ramsey has changed his jersey number:

FSU Basketball has come a long way: