Jaiden Woodbey showing California recruits that FSU is the move

The following is am excerpt from the mega-scoop I dropped Tuesday after the Adidas 7v7 National Championship (click and read the whole thing, there is a lot of FSU scoop in it) — an event with over 100 four- and five-star recruits.

In the 2018 class, the Florida State Seminoles signed safety Jaiden Woodbey out of California. He is a player a lot of others in is Ground 0 7v7 program look up to, including players like QB Jayden Daniels, RB Sean Dollars, and CB Jeremiah Criddell, all of whom visited FSU a week ago.

“They treat us like our family when we got there,” Daniels said of FSU. “They took us around to see different areas of Tallahassee and campus. We saw FAMU.”

Daniels cited the signing of a former 7v7 teammate, five-star safety Jaiden Woodbey, with the Seminoles as a factor.

“I see why he decided to go out there,” He said. “The energy, the vibe that Coach Taggart is bringing. It’s just a different energy and vibe.”

But distance will matter.

“It’s going to play a factor. But anywhere you go, you could be homesick. The big thing is, can I see myself living there?”

Daniels identified four coaches with whom he has the best relationship.

“Coach [Troy] Taylor from Utah, [Marques] Tuiasosopo from Cal, and I’m starting to build one with Coach [Walt] Bell and [Willie] Taggart at Florida State.”

Daniels wants to narrow it down before the season, take his trips, and make a decision.

“I care about the relationship, the fit, and seeing if I could live there.”

Santa Ana Mater Dei cornerback Jeremiah Criddell was also on the trip to Florida with Daniels. Criddell seems more open to coming east.

“It was really big time. We see a lot of guys from Cali are starting to make that move,” he said.

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He was already familiar with Florida State.

“My brother Jaiden Woodbey is up there. He’s like a big brother to me. We talk a lot,” Criddell said. “Seeing him from Cali — I lived next to him — seeing him make that transition and see how that’s happening for him there and how he’s just balling there, you can’t get anything better than that.

“Most people were looking at Woodbey as an SC product, thinking he’d stay home. The farthest people go sometimes is like [the Arizona schools], but going all the way out there, it sets no boundaries. We can do anything.”

“Coach Taggart at Oregon was my second offer, and he knows my mom. That relationship is still really tight. When we were in his office, it was like he never left. I met the DC and all the coaches, and it’s a big family.”

Criddell wants to commit before the season starts. He expects Washington, Oregon, and Florida State to be on his list, and maybe USC. He’d like to hear from LSU.