Florida State of Recruiting: June 2 official visitor breakdown

The first weekend of June official visits is nearly upon us, promising to kick off what we believe will be an eventful month for the Florida State Seminoles. Mike Norvell and his staff have prioritized June and July in each recruiting cycle and 2023 could be the most productive yet as the Seminoles look to add to their top 10 #Tribe24 recruiting class.

Here is a link to the NCAA’s 2022-2023 recruiting calendar. Recruiting is in a “Quiet Period” from June 1-25, meaning “it is permissible to make in-person recruiting contacts only on the member institution’s campus. No in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts or evaluations may be made during the quiet period.” Notably, however, FSU should have all of its 2023 summer enrollees on campus by the weekend to help recruit.

The Three Stars are here to break down FSU’s anticipated official visitors each June weekend. We’ll analyze each visitor for the upcoming weekend and provide our confidence level for an eventual commitment from each prospect.

The weekend of June 2 has a national flair to it. Of the six official visitors, none are from Florida and only one is from Georgia. I have a feeling this isn’t coincidental, but more on that at a later date. Let’s take a look at the visitors.

June 2 official visitors

4-star CB Wardell Mack

Mack is ranked as the 111th best player in the nation (13th best CB and 3rd best player in LA). He saw time at CB, WR, and even QB for his high school last season, but the 5’11”, 170 pound athlete profiles as a CB at the next level.

RB coach David Johnson is working his Louisiana connections hard and it has paid off in an official visit from Mack. Mack loves the family atmosphere at FSU and has also hit it off well with new DB coach Patrick Surtain. He likes the Florida Gators and will take an official visit to Gainesville two weeks after his FSU visit. However, the home state LSU Tigers are considered the leader.

Confidence level: Low. The only way he doesn't end up in LSU’s class is if they pass on him, which is unlikely.

4-star LB Edwin Spillman

Considered the 251st best player in the nation (23rd best LB and 4th best player in TN), Spillman sits towards the top of the linebacker wishlist for Florida State. The 6’1”, 215 pound wrecking ball also has official visits to the Tennessee Volunteers, Ohio State Buckeyes, and Georgia Bulldogs following his time in Tallahassee.

Mike Norvell has built a strong relationship with Spillman thanks to his Tennessee ties but FSU faces significant competition for Spillman’s commitment. They’ll be able to set the tone with his first official visit but some heavy hitters will follow.

Confidence level: Low. Spillman’s older brother just signed with Tennessee and the Vols gave him his first FBS offer. They should be considered the leaders and will be hard to displace.

4-star OL Nyier Daniels

Daniels is considered the 156th best player in the nation (10th best OT and 2nd best player in NJ). The 6’6”, 340 pound road grader will visit the Miami Hurricanes, Georgia Bulldogs, and Texas Longhorns after seeing FSU. He’s been to FSU’s campus previously and appreciated the coaching staff being real with him and not simply blowing smoke up his rear end.

FSU and OC/OL coach Alex Atkins can finally afford to be pickier when it comes to recruiting prep offensive linemen. Daniels is not as high on the priority list as several other OL prospects scheduled to officially visit FSU later in June, but FSU still thinks highly enough of the massive lineman to bring him in for an OV.

Confidence level: Low. Daniels is likely higher on the priority list for other schools he’s visiting, and I’m not sure that FSU will push very hard for a commitment from him. Should FSU miss out on higher targets, however, they may turn up the heat on Daniels.

4-star RB Christian Clark

Clark is considered the 278th best player nationally (22nd best RB and 3rd best player in AZ). He is the nephew of former FSU QB/outfielder Kenny Felder. The 6’0”, 190 pounder is towards the top of the wishlist for RBs to compliment current commit Kam Davis.

What sets Clark apart for me is his ability to be a threat in the passing game. He gained nearly 800 yards and 11 TDs on the ground last season but also caught 37 passes for 368 yards and another 5 TDs. He previously visited the USC Trojans and will see the Georgia Bulldogs and Texas Longhorns after FSU. The Oregon Ducks will likely get his 5th official visit.

Confidence level: Medium. I’m torn between low and medium because it all depends on how many RBs FSU wants to take in this cycle (we’ll talk about another high RB target in a couple weekends). I’m also unsure where he stands on the priority list for Georgia and Texas (he is very high for Southern Cal and Oregon). He genuinely likes FSU and I could see him filling an important role in the class as a backfield pass catcher in addition to his talent as a runner.

3-star DB Jiquavious Marshall

The 6’3”, 185 pound Marshall’s recruitment has started to take off. Currently considered the 583rd best player nationally (55th best athlete and 72nd best player in GA), his ranking is certain to rise as the months roll on. Though “Quavo” splits time at WR and CB, finding success at both positions, FSU likes Marshall at defensive back.

Marshall is extremely athletic, also playing basketball for his high school. Though somewhat raw, he projects well as a defensive back who can cover larger WRs. He has quickly forged a strong connection with coach Surtain, vaulting FSU to a top choice among his two dozen offers. He was previously in Tallahassee in April and will now return for an official visit.

Confidence level: High, assuming FSU wants him in the class. He may take other visits to see the Michigan Wolverines or Kentucky Wildcats, but I’m confident he’ll be a Seminole if FSU pushes hard for him. I’d like to see him in the class.

3-star DB Rydarrius “Red” Morgan

Morgan, a 6’0”, 175 pound safety prospect, plays for Central High School in Phenix City, AL. He’s considered the 511th best player in the nation (51st best safety, 27th best player in AL). Following his OV to FSU, he’ll visit the Cincinnati Bearcats, Auburn Tigers, and Miami Hurricanes.

Morgan is one of the most physical defensive backs on FSU’s board. He plays with aggression and loves to lay the wood, but can also hold his own in coverage. Strong relationships with the coaching staff resulted in this OV, as he thoroughly enjoyed his prior visit to FSU in March.

Confidence level: Low. Auburn has the inside track with Morgan and he’s a Tiger ‘til he isn’t, in my opinion.