Florida State football Recruiting: Defensive ends

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 and defensive tackles. Today, we’ll look at defensive ends. The Florida State Seminoles signed two defensive ends in the 2020 class: Josh Griffis and Markeston Douglas. Additionally, the Seminoles added two defensive end transfers in Deonte Williams and Jarrett Jackson. The expectation is that FSU will sign 3-4 defensive ends for Tribe ’21.

Current commit(s):

Joshua Farmer. 6’3 250 pound 3-star from Gadsden County High School (Havana, FL). Farmer visited FSU during January’s Junior Day. While visiting, Farmer received an offer and committed. Initially a middle of the pack 3-star, Farmer continues to rise in the rankings with more exposure. His film shows quick feet and speed in the open field, as well as an ability to set the edge and use a strong first punch to drive back linemen. He is a versatile athlete who could develop into a defensive end or even grow into a defensive tackle. Farmer is instinctual (helped by also playing middle linebacker in high school) and does a good job reading the backfield, diagnosing the play and squaring his shoulders to finish the tackle:

Trending targets:

Shambre Jackson. 6’4, 240 pound 4-star out of Boone High School (Orlando, FL). Jackson visited Tallahassee in January and received an offer. During his junior season, Jackson recorded over 20 tackles for loss. His strengths pop while defending the run, but his upside as a pass-rusher is also evident. He sets the edge well and is relentless in pursuit of the ball, often making tackles on the opposite side of the field. Physicality is not an issue with Jackson—this dude arrives with bad intentions and punishes ball-carriers. Jackson has great size with room to grow, and a motor that seemingly never stops. He has NFL potential. FSU is good shape for Jackson’s signature:

Quintin Somerville. 6’2, 230 pound 4-star from Saguaro High School (Scottsdale, AZ). Somerville received an offer from Florida State in January and hopes to visit the Seminoles next month. Somerville recorded nine sacks his junior year and has a great shot at making it to the next level with continued development. His film shows his ability to get “skinny” despite his stocky build and burst through the offensive gaps. Somerville plays with his head up at all times, allowing him to quickly find the ball. His explosiveness and intelligence are a perfect combination, and he already displays several technical moves and a great penchant for disengaging blockers. Offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham and Somerville go back several years and if the ‘Noles get him on campus, they have a great shot at landing Somerville:

Darrell Jackson. 6’5, 240 pound 3-star from Gadsden County High School (Havana, FL). The Tennessee commit (and teammate of Farmer) visited the Seminoles in March and regularly flirts with the ‘Noles on social media. Jackson’s a jumbo athlete on the defensive line. He takes on blockers and holds them up at the point-of-attack, allowing linebackers and safeties to attack the ball-carrier. Jackson uses his length and athleticism to track down and punish running backs and has good potential to develop into a starter in college. Farmer and Jackson have told media outlets they hope to be a package deal. Could Jackson be lured back to his “dream school”?

Keanu Koht. 6’4, 215 pound 4-star out of Vero Beach High School (Vero Beach, FL). Koht received an offer last year, but hasn’t yet made it to FSU’s campus. His recruitment has blown up, recently nabbing offers from Texas and Clemson. Koht is much leaner than the other prospects on FSU’s radar and needs to add weight and strength to his frame. If he can add another 25-30 pounds without losing the speed that sets him apart, look out. He has a quick first step which he combines with impressive length, allowing him to get past offensive tackles who are too slow off the snap. He’s a speed-rusher off the end and if left unblocked, he can blow up a play before it starts:

Zyun Reeves. 6’7, 245 pound 3-star out of East Forsyth High School (Kernersville, NC). Reeves received an offer from Florida State in January before visiting in March. Reeves is a legit 6’7” and has an incredible wingspan. He uses this to his advantage to bat down passes and reach quarterbacks in fewer steps than most. He’s a long-strider, making him seem slower than he actually is; however, he displays good closing speed. Reeves is surprisingly fluid when changing direction thanks to his basketball background. He’s very raw, but has the size and speed that can’t be taught. Reeves had a monster junior season during which he racked up 88 tackles (13.5 TFL), 7.5 sacks, and 8 pass deflections. FSU would love to get its hands on Reeves and develop him into a menace on the edge:

Saivion Jones. 6’5, 240 pound 4-star from St. James High School (Saint James, LA). Jones received an offer from Florida State at the end of March, but hasn’t visited. Jones has great athleticism for his size and also plays basketball and high jumps in track. He keeps his eyes in the backfield while engaged in blocks, allowing him to stay in pursuit while filling gaps as needed. He uses his burst and strength as a bull-rusher to make an impact on plays by ripping through offensive linemen without getting tangled up. He isn’t as polished as several other prospects on this list, but still possesses NFL potential:

Some other names to know at the defensive end position: Dallas Turner and Colin Mobley. The staff will continue to add names to their offer list as the season progresses.