Florida State had a really nice season on the edge in 2016: DeMarcus Walker earned All-American honors, Josh Sweat established himself as an effective run-stopper, Jacob Pugh had a breakout year, and Brian Burns led the nation’s freshmen in sacks.
The Seminoles got even deeper at the position Friday when they landed a commitment from the country’s No. 2 defensive end, Joshua Kaindoh.
#GoNoles #Tribe17 pic.twitter.com/zAZU2onIo4
— Joshua Kaindoh (@_jkaindoh) December 24, 2016
Kaindoh (6-6, 245) is the No. 4 player in the state of Florida and the nation’s No. 21 player, overall. He attends Bradenton’s IMG Academy and has drawn interest from the country’s top programs. In addition to FSU, Kaindoh also held offers from Alabama, Florida, Clemson, Miami, Michigan, Ohio State, USC, Notre Dame, Georgia, and many others. Kaindoh’s primary recruiter at Florida State was defensive ends coach Brad Lawing, and he is the first true defensive end commitment in the Seminoles’ 2017 recruiting class, which is gaining momentum at just the right time.
Florida State’s primary competition for Kaindoh was Penn State. Originally from Baltimore, Kaindoh transferred to the IMG Academy to finish his high school career. He originally committed to the Maryland Terrapins over the summer, but Maryland just could not hold his pledge after going 6-6 in the Big Ten East, including blowouts throughout November.
The Under Armour All-American profiles as someone capable of playing the run and pass, making him an ideal fit to play the strong-side end position in Florida State’s defense. His length allows him to control the run game, while he has impressive athleticism to showcase in the passing game. It makes him especially valuable as a prospect. Sources at IMG say he is just scratching his potential.
But Kaindoh is not just impressive on the field. He also is an excellent student in the classroom, and, as in the video shown above, he wants to become an orthopedic surgeon. That’s a desire FSU can certainly accommodate, having recently had Dr. David Castillo and Myron Rolle come through the program.
Kaindoh is an early enrollee, meaning he will be able to go through strength and conditioning this January, and participate in spring practice.