Florida State football recruiting: Cornerbacks

Following the announcement that all sporting events have been suspended, the next big decision was that all recruiting activity was also placed on hold until April 15th (it’s now been extended until the end of May). We’ll use this newly enacted dead period to evaluate Florida State’s recruiting position by position. This isn’t meant to be an all-inclusive list; rather, it’s a snapshot of which players we believe are trending with FSU. TimScribble and NoleThruandThru break it down for you here:

In this series, we’ve covered quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end, interior offensive line, offensive tackle, defensive tackles, defensive ends and linebackers. Today, we’ll check on cornerbacks. Last year, the Florida State Seminoles signed one cornerback in the 2020 class: Demorie Tate. They also added transfer cornerback Meiko Dotson. Between cornerback and safety, the expectation is that FSU will take between five and six players for the secondary.

Current commits:

Hunter Washington. 5’11, 175 pound 4-star from Katy High School (Katy, TX). Washington received an offer from Florida State in January and committed to the Seminoles in May. Tomahawk Nation broke down Washington’s game in our commit analysis piece:

“Long corners are something every football coach desires. Mike Norvell and the rest of the Seminoles’ coaching staff found a good one in Washington. Let’s look at a few traits that make this a good take for FSU...

You’ll see in the clips a corner willing to fit in the run-game. Washington comes up, plays sound football, and unloads on offensive players. This is a young man who can play in the boundary and be counted on to be in the right place and make plays against the run...”

Trending targets:

Nyland Green. 6’2, 180 pound 4-star from Newton High School (Covington, GA). Green received an offer in January from Florida State before visiting the campus in March. The first trait that pops about Green is his speed. It allows him to stick with any receiver even if they get a step on him. His speed flashes, as well, when breaking on short routes, turning them into minimal gains with sure tackling. He has an ideal frame and incredible reach, giving him another advantage in pass defense. When you combine his speed, length, and body control, it’s easy to see why Green oozes with NFL potential and is ranked as one of the top cornerbacks in America:

Omarion Cooper. 6’1, 170 pound 4-star from Lehigh Senior High School (Lehigh Acres, FL). Cooper first visited Florida State last year and received an offer. He was on campus, once again, for Florida State’s Junior Day in January. Cooper’s highlights show his ability to stick with his receiver in coverage, flipping his hips quickly, allowing him to recover from his initial jam. He doesn’t have elite speed like Green, but can be trusted to be left on an island. He has sharp instincts and isn’t afraid of contact despite his lanky build (he could stand to add an additional 15-20 pounds of muscle). FSU is considered Cooper’s top school:

Ceyair Wright. 6’1, 175 pound 4-star from Loyola High School (Los Angeles, CA). Wright just received an offer in April from Florida State, so he hasn’t visit campus, but told TN he plans to do so when the Dead Period ends. Wright is another cornerback who possesses great length and a build that can use 20 pounds of muscle. He uses that long frame as an advantage. He has nice speed, allowing him to flash on special teams and offense. Wright plays with above-average ball awareness, as well. FSU must get him on campus to have a shot at adding another West Coast ’Nole. He’s a NFL prospect:

Kamari Lassiter. 5’11, 165 pound 3-star (89 rating) from American Christian High School (Tuscaloosa, AL). Lassiter received an offer from the ’Noles in February before visiting Tallahassee in March. Lassiter is one of those “annoying” cornerbacks that WRs just can’t discard. He’s constantly in your face, jamming you at the line and then draping you downfield. He brings the mentality of a LB in a CB body because he loves to deliver a crushing hit despite his diminutive frame. He also does a great job baiting quarterbacks:

Kameron Grays. 6’2, 195 pound 3-star from Blount High School (Eight Mile, AL). Grays, a teammate of DT target Lee Hunter, visited Florida State in March after receiving an offer in January. Grays possesses above-average speed and the ideal frame for today’s CB. He’s a developmental prospect with good upside, and FSU is in good shape to land his signature. His ball-awareness and athletic skills show why he can easily transfer his game to the defensive side of the ball despite currently succeeding on offense:

Kevin Knowles. 5’10, 165 pound 3-star from McArthur High School (Hollywood, FL). Knowles was offered under the previous staff and has since been re-offered by the new staff. He visited for Florida State’s March Junior Day. Knowles has the speed you want in a cornerback. He can play on an island and is fluid in transition from jamming the wide receiver to covering downfield. He displays good ball-awareness, as well, keeping his eyes in the backfield while in coverage:

Sage Ryan. 5’11, 190 pound 4-star from Lafayette Christian School (Lafayette, LA). Ryan was offered by Florida State in February, but has yet to visit the Seminoles. Ryan may end up a better safety than corner, but he has the athleticism and speed to excel at either position. He carries a short, compact frame, allowing him to deliver big hits. He’ll need to show he can play more man-coverage if he wants to be a full-time corner, but the tools are there and Ryan will eventually be a force in the defensive backfield. He’s a NFL prospect:

Khyree Jackson. 6’3, 197 pound unranked prospect (holds offers from Oklahoma and Oregon, among others) from East Mississippi Community College (Scooba, MS). Jackson received an offer from Florida State in April. He has great length for the cornerback position and will compete for playing time immediately. Jackson uses his length to deflect passes, often interfering with the receiver’s line of sight. He has above-average speed and displays high-end speed when breaking on passes. The JUCO product is a touch slow flipping his hips, but can make up for lost ground in a hurry with his speed:

De’Jahn “Nugget” Warren. 6’0, 175 pound 4-star from Lackawanna Community College (Scranton, PA). He was offered by Florida State at the beginning of May. Warren is the top-ranked JUCO prospect and likely an immediate starter wherever he chooses. His footwork is above-average, and he flips his hips very well. He keeps his eyes in the backfield and gets his head turned around when the ball is in flight, so he can properly defend. Warren can deliver violent hits (although sometimes sacrificing proper tackling technique). The physicality of his game is one he models after Jalen Ramsey. He breaks on passes, can block punts, and plays with the confidence displayed by many top-dogs on defense. Warren definitely has an NFL future:

Other names to know: Jason Marshall, Jordan Young, Latrell McCutchin, Ryan Barnes, and MJ Daniels.