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Florida State football, recruiting news: An in-depth scouting report of star FSU DB Derwin James

Your daily dose of Florida State football, recruiting and other sports news.

Florida State v Mississippi Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Football:

What I liked: James has outstanding size, speed, explosiveness and versatility. He's shown tremendous range when aligned in the deep half or deep middle (see pass breakup against Clemson). He can cover ground quickly and locate the ball once he arrives (see INT vs. Ole Miss). He's been used as an outside linebacker at times and he's a dynamic pass rusher. He can win with pure speed or a devastating inside counter move. James has the agility to match up with tight ends in man coverage and he possesses the makeup speed to recover if he gets out of position.

Where he needs to improve: James' lack of ball production is a bit of a concern. He has only one interception in his brief career. If he can stay healthy for a full season, I firmly believe his ball production will drastically improve. I'd also like to see him show more consistent effort as a backside run defender. He has some loafs on tape and that's unusual for big-time safety prospects. This should be an easy fix.

Recruiting:

Other Sports: