Noles News: FSU returns to practice field this week as countdown to LSU continues

Recruiting

A major, major weekend on the recruiting trail for Florida State Seminoles football, with head coach Mike Norvell and his staff securing three commitments from Friday to Sunday: five-star defensive back Charles Lester III, four-star offensive lineman Manasse Itete and three-star linebacker Timir Hickman-Collins.

After the trio of pledges, Florida State now has the No. 5 recruiting class in the country according to On3, with an average rating of 91.456. 247Sports’ Composite Rankings have the Seminoles at No. 6 overall, with an average of 90.97.

What all has gone into FSU’s scorcher of a month on the trail? The Three Stars are back with another episode of Florida State of Recruiting, breaking everything that’s gone down in July and more, including:

• How big was the commitment of Lester and how would you describe his game? (he’s been a silent since June)
• A little background on Itete’s recruitment and how he projects at the next level.
• Do the Noles have a shot at 5-star Georgia safety KJ Bolden and who might be next to join #Tribe24?

Can Florida State pull off a major recruiting win in securing the commitment of five-star receiver Jeremiah Smith?

Offensive tackle Jayden Todd, currently unranked, was offered by Florida State — the 6-foot-6, 315-pound prospect out of Dublin, Georgia has also been offered by the Virginia Tech Hokies, as well as Ivy League schools such as Penn, Dartmouth, Columbia and Cornell:

2025 defensive back Gregory Xavier Thomas, also currently unkranked, received an FSU offer this weekend as well. Thomas, listed at 6-foot-2, 185 pounds, also holds offers from the Miami Hurricanes and Western Kentucky Hilltoppers:

2025 offensive tackle Lamar Williams, listed at 6-foot-7 and 280 pounds, was offered by Florida State, adding to a list of offers that includes the Miami Hurricanes, Maryland Terrapins, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and others:

2024 linebacker Jordan Boyd, a three-star prospect currently committed to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, was offered by Florida State after an impressive showing in Tallahassee. Boyd, who is looking to transition to edge, also holds offers from the South Carolina Gamecocks, Wake Forest Demon Deacons and Missouri Tigers, amongst others:

Florida State Seminoles football 2024 commitments

QUARTERBACK: 4 star Luke Kromenhoek (GA)

RUNNING BACK: 4 star Kam Davis (GA)

RUNNING BACK: 4 star Micahi Danzy (FL)

WIDE RECEIVER: 4 star Camdon Frier (FL)

WIDE RECEIVER: 4 star Lawayne McCoy (FL)

WIDE RECEIVER: 4 star BJ Gibson (GA)

WIDE RECEIVER: 4 star Elijah Moore (MD)

TIGHT END: 5 star Landen Thomas (GA)

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN: 4 star Jonathan Daniels (FL)

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN: 3 star Tye Hylton

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN: 4 star Manasse Itete (CA)

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN: 4 star DD Holmes (DC)

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN: 3 star Jamorie Flagg (FL)

LINEBACKER: 3 star Jayden Parrish (FL)

LINEBACKER: 3 star Timir Hickman-Collins (SC)

DEFENSIVE BACK: 5 star Charles Lester III (FL)

DEFENSIVE BACK: 4 star Ricky Knight III

DEFENSIVE BACK: 3 star CJ Heard (GA)

DEFENSIVE BACK: 3 star Rydarrius “Red” Morgan (AL)

KICKER: 3 star Jake Weinberg (FL)

Football

We’re just 34 days away from the start of the 2023 Florida State Seminoles football season, when FSU takes on the LSU Tigers in a neutral site, Labor Day matchup inside Camping World Stadium in Orlando.

Florida State will officially kick off practice this week, starting on August 3 — on Tuesday, head coach Mike Norvell and his staff will meet with the media at a preseason press conference, answering questions as the Seminoles get set to prep for what’s shaping up to be a major 2023 season.

The latest entries into our offseason preview series are here — on the schedule breakdown front, a look at Clemson and how Florida State match up in the presumed ACC frontrunner clash while the latest position preview breaks down the Seminoles’ defensive back room, which received a major talent infusion in Fentrell Cypress II, one of the transfer portal’s top talents this past offseason.

What a wild weekend in the realignment world, huh? After Colorado announced it would be leaving the Pac-12 for the Big 12, whispers began to flurry that the Buffaloes were just one of several dominoes to fall in shaking up the current alignment of conferences. So far, Arizona seems as if it's the front-runner to also bolt for the Big 12, which could further destabilize the conference as it searches for a new media deal.

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