Florida State of Recruiting: 2022 Wide Receivers

As we formally turn the page to the Class of 2022, we’re ramping up our Florida State of Recruiting series once again. As a reminder, this is meant to be a snapshot in time of the current prospects committed to, trending with, or known to have mutual interest in the Florida State Seminoles football program. It’s not meant to be an exhaustive list, so expect to see names added/removed (as needed) throughout the ’22 cycle, including any transfer portal options that may become available. Uncommitted targets are not presented in any specific order.

Previous articles:

Quarterbacks

Running Backs

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Tribe ‘22 Wide Receiver State of Recruiting

The Committed

Travis Hunter: 6’1”, 165 lbs (Suwanee, GA)

Wait a minute, WTF, NoleThruandThru? Why are you listing Hunter as a wide receiver—he’s a defensive back?! Nah, man... as our own TimScribble wrote, he’s both.

I’ve chosen to list him in both the wide receiver and cornerback articles because I believe he has the talent, positional skill sets, and drive to become a two-way player for FSU. I want to see him on offense, personally, but he gives the coaching staff flexibility to line him up wherever he’s most needed. As long as he stays healthy, get ready to hear plenty of comparisons to the last two-way player who won a Heisman. Lofty praise, I know.

Hunter holds a rating of 99 (5-star) and is considered the 4th best player in the nation, per 247 composite rankings (2nd best CB and the best player in Georgia). He’s making a strong case to be considered the top overall recruit in the nation. Hunter is coveted by every top program in the southeast and is a national recruit, but it doesn’t really matter how many offers he holds or who else is flirting with him—Hunter is a ‘Nole through and through and is not shy about telling anyone who’ll listen, proving himself an asset on the recruiting trail, as well.

Hunter is ranked by recruiting sites as a cornerback, which is perfectly understandable. He’s the definition of a lock-down CB, someone you can confidently place on an island and know he’s going to make life miserable for any receiver. However, for this article, I want to focus on his potential as a wide receiver.

His athleticism is heralded and the size and speed combination devastating, but he also has great hands (rarely relying on his body for catches) and excellent instincts on when to high-point a catch. He’s a QB’s dream because he can catch anything in his vicinity, and he’s also willing to get physical and block his man into exile. Hunter’s a cerebral player with top-notch physical traits and some believe as far as pure football players go, there’s no one better in the 2022 cycle than Travis Hunter.

He never shies away from opportunities to prove himself, as he did this past weekend in the Pylon 7-on-7. Named the Day One Alpha Dog, Hunter routinely made both defensive backs and wide receivers look foolish when lined up against him. Just look at a couple of these touchdown catches:

Hunter may as well have “Abandon All Hope” stamped on his forehead in large letters for the unfortunate soul lined up against him because It’s not revenge he’s after... it’s a reckoning.

Quincey McAdoo: 6’3”, 175 lbs (Clarendon, AR)

McAdoo holds a rating of 89 (high 3-star) and is considered the 368th best player in the nation (52nd best WR and 4th best player in Arkansas). McAdoo committed to Florida State in January of this year over offers from the hometown Arkansas Razorbacks, Auburn Tigers, Oklahoma Sooners, Oregon Ducks, and Texas A&M Aggies, among others.

McAdoo’s a good athlete with excellent size who plays both ways for his high school at wide receiver, running back, and in the defensive backfield. He shows nice quickness and can juke defenders out of their shoes. Although he’s a long-strider (looks slower on tape) he has good speed for his size and nimble feet. McAdoo has great hands and can take the top off the defense on go routes.

The Targets

Kevin Coleman: 5’11”, 170 lbs (St. Louis, MO)

Coleman holds a rating of 98 (5-star) and is considered the 14th best player in the nation (the best WR and the best player in Missouri). Former Florida State Seminoles linebacker Tommy Polley serves as Coleman’s high school coach, and FSU offered him in May 2020. Holding over 30 offers from a who’s-who in college football, Coleman will certainly be one of the most followed recruitments in the 2022 cycle. FSU was included in his recently-released Top 8:

Coleman is perhaps the most exciting prospect FSU is after in the return game, and he shows great hands and an ability to turn a short catch into a long gain. He accelerates into his top gear very quickly and often hits his routes at close to top speed. Coleman is unafraid to go across the middle and make tough catches, and his knowledge of the game allows him to find soft spots and seams to exploit defenses. He’s mentioned that the Alabama Crimson Tide hold a slight edge right now, but he’s still open in his recruitment.

Shazz Preston: 6’0”, 190 lbs (St. James, LA)

Preston holds a rating of 97 (4-star) and is considered the 69th best player in the nation (10th best WR and 4th best player in Louisiana). He holds nearly 20 offers, with the FSU offer coming in March 2020 and catching his attention due to Coach YAC and FSU’s history. At the beginning of the year he narrowed down to a top 10 which included the ‘Noles.

Preston enjoyed a breakout 2020 season, accumulating over 1000 yards and 9 touchdowns for his state championship team. He has an innate ability to find soft spots in coverage, while also consistently winning contested jump balls. He has all the makings of a future No. 1 wide receiver. Preston’s older brother plays for Mississippi State, while the hometown LSU Tigers and Alabama Crimson Tide are also strong players for him.

Kaden Saunders: 5’10”, 172 lbs (Westerville, OH)

Saunders, a current Penn State Nittany Lions commitment, holds a rating of 94 (4-star) and is considered the 132nd best player in the nation (19th best WR and 4th best player in Ohio). Many major programs are represented among his 25 offers, with FSU throwing its name in several weeks ago.

Saunders is a speed demon first and foremost. He clocks in the 4.3 range in the 40 yard dash and amassed nearly 1000 yards and 13 touchdowns last season. Saunders has also markedly improved his route-running of late, showing the kind of technical skills you love to see in a wideout (the first route is just filthy):

Jaleel Skinner: 6’5”, 210 lbs (Greer, SC)

Skinner, listed as a TE by 247, holds a rating of 95 (4-star) and is considered the 97th best player in the nation (3rd best TE and 3rd best player in South Carolina). He holds over 20 offers and is being recruited by some schools as a TE and others, including FSU, as a jumbo WR who can also line up at TE in certain packages. Skinner is thought to be favoring either the “hometown” Clemson Tigers, or the Florida Gators, with FSU and the South Carolina Gamecocks also thought to be in the mix.

Skinner looks like a man among boys on his film due to his frame and the mismatches it causes against defensive backs. Although he’s in no way a refined prospect, his skill set allows him to play at either the WR or flex TE position (he plays basketball and runs track, too). He shows good speed for his size and has a great frame to add size and strength. His arms are extremely long, and he shows a willingness to absorb and run through contact.

Barion Brown: 6’1”, 173 lbs (Nashville, TN)

Brown holds a rating of 91 (4-star) and is considered the 234th best player in the nation (14th best ATH and 8th best player in TN). Brown earned his offer from Coach YAC Johnson in January, and now claims two dozen offers including Alabama, Auburn, the Georgia Bulldogs, LSU, the Michigan Wolverines, Mississippi State Bulldogs, Ole Miss Rebels, Tennessee Volunteers, and Texas A&M, among others.

Brown definitely needs to add some strength, but my goodness is he fun to watch with the ball in his hands. His acceleration is top-notch, and he shows good field vision to find seams. He often has to slow down to wait on the long ball, but can still make contested catches. He’s a dynamic playmaker with high upside at receiver and in the return game.

Andre Greene, Jr: 6’3”, 180 lbs (Richmond, VA)

Greene holds a rating of 92 (4-star) and is considered the 198th best player in the nation (25th best WR and 9th best player in Virginia). He claims over 50 offers, with FSU joining the mix in April 2020. In an interview with Tomahawk Nation, Greene told our Josh Pick that he thinks FSU has an excellent coaching staff.

Greene has excellent size and good speed and acceleration. While he needs refinement on running routes, he has great hands (he makes some ridiculous one-handed catches in his film). He routinely wins jump balls and has good awareness of space. He has all the makings of a future No. 1 option.

Amarion Brown: 6’3”, 175 lbs (Stuart, FL)

Brown holds a rating of 90 (4-star) and is considered the 295th best player in the nation (43rd best WR and 34th best player in Florida). FSU offered Brown in April 2020, joining the likes of Florida, Miami (FL), the Oregon Ducks, Penn State, and the two major Texas programs.

Another long strider with good acceleration, Brown’s a weapon for his high school at WR and in the return game. He shows good hands and a willingness to go across the middle when needed, but is primarily shown catching deep balls off go routes. He’s an able blocker, as well.

Marcus Peterson: 6’4”, 200 lbs (Lake City, FL)

Peterson holds a rating of 85 (3-star) and is considered the 643rd best player in the nation (37th best TE and 81st best player in FL). Similar to Jaleel Skinner, Peterson claims over 30 offers and is being recruited as a TE by some and a WR by others, including FSU. He plays for Brian Allen at Columbia High School and is a former teammate of 2021 signee Shyheim Brown.

Peterson found himself needing to play QB for his team for part of last season (check out the first play on his film where he hurdles a defender into the end zone!), but his future is definitely on the receiving end of passes. Peterson shows good hands and strength to run through arm tackles. He has some good change of direction moves for his size and shows good speed.

Isaiah Sategna: 5’11”, 170 lbs (Fayetteville, AR)

Sategna holds a rating of 91 (4-star) and is considered the 245th best player in the nation (35th best WR and the best player in Arkansas). He holds over two dozen offers, with the FSU offer coming near the end of 2020.

As our Josh Pick wrote in his offer piece, Sategna is a speed demon who also participates in track and field, where he competes in 10 events including sprints, long jump, and high jump. He’s considered one of the top track athletes in America and has outstanding athleticism. His father is an assistant track and field coach at Arkansas, while his mother attended LSU while competing as a sprinter in the 1992 Olympics for Jamaica.

Jayden Gibson: 6’6”, 185 lbs (Winter Garden, FL)

Gibson holds a rating of 86 (3-star) and is considered the 570th best player in the nation (74th best WR and 74th best player in FL). As expected, he rose over 100 spots in the latest 247 rankings. Gibson claims over 30 offers and his parents both went to UF, but after FSU offered, he stated that he plans to get to Tallahassee as soon as possible to visit.

Gibson is a three sport athlete, also competing in basketball and track. He shows great upside as a red zone threat and has the frame to add some more bulk without losing too much athleticism. His build and playing style may remind some fans of former Seminole jump-ball aficionado Greg Carr (don’t worry—FSU has better offensive minds now).

Nicholas Anderson: 6’2”, 185 lbs (Katy, TX)

Anderson holds a rating of 87 (3-star) and is considered the 474th best player in the nation (64th best WR and 67th best player in TX). FSU’s most recent WR offer holds nearly 20 offers, including the Arizona State Sun Devils, Miami (FL), Michigan, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Texas, and the Wisconsin Badgers.

Anderson attends the same high school as 2021 signee Hunter Washington.

Both of his brothers play football, as well, with Rodney having played for Oklahoma, while Ryder recently transferred to the Indiana Hoosiers after starting his career at Ole Miss. What struck me most about Anderson’s film is his ability to adjust to deep balls, showing great body control and an ability to find the ball in the air, secure the catch, and still pick up yards afterwards. He has good size and speed.

Antonio Williams: 6’0”, 180 lbs (Irmo, SC)

Williams was not ranked by 247 composite prior to today’s update, but boy did that change. He flew up the rankings (as we predicted) and now holds a rating of 89 (4-star) and is considered the 319th best player in the nation (47th best WR and 6th best player in SC). Williams and the aforementioned Anderson were offered by FSU on the same day, with Williams also claiming over 20 offers from the likes of Auburn, Georgia, Notre Dame, Oregon, the USC Trojans, and the hometown Gamecocks.

Williams accrued over 1500 total yards and 10 touchdowns for his high school last season, and just put on a show at the recent NFA 7-on-7 East Regionals (leading to his FSU offer). His speed is excellent, he’s dynamic with the ball in his hands, and he has the ability to shake defenders out of their shoes. South Carolina is making him a top priority, but his recruitment will keep heating up.

Chris Graves: 6’2”, 170 lbs (Fort Myers, FL)

Graves is inexplicably still unranked by 247 composite rankings even after their recent update. Though listed as an athlete, Tomahawk Nation has it on good authority that FSU likes him at wide receiver, offering him about a month ago. Graves’ recruitment is just now starting to gain momentum, with his most recent offers coming from LSU and the Virginia Tech Hokies.

Graves plays WR and CB for his high school, while also running track. Emerging last season, he made his presence felt on both sides of the ball, totaling 500 yards and four touchdowns at WR, while making 26 tackles and batting away four passes along with an interception on defense. He also blocked a punt and a kick on special teams. Graves recently made a good impression at the NFS 7-on-7 East Regionals.

As always, we encourage you to discuss these prospects and more in the Official Tribe ‘22 Recruiting Thread!