10 uncommitted recruits FSU has its eyes on in 2016
Safid Deen, Tallahassee Democrat 2:15 p.m. EDT June 16, 2015
The Florida State football team picked up commitments from four players in the last 10 days, bringing its 2016 recruiting class total to 18 members before National Signing Day in February.
The Seminoles currently have the No. 1 class in the country, according to Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN.
With their success on the field and in the NFL draft, the FSU coaching staff has the luxury of hand picking which players it wishes to pursue.
The Seminoles could take at least 24 players in its 2016 class after signing 20 players in 2015. But with a little more than seven months left until signing day, where does FSU go from here?
FSU could see some attrition between now and signing day, but here are 10 uncommitted prospects the Seminoles' coaching staff has its eyes on for the remainder of the 2016 recruiting cycle:
•Bradenton IMG Academy five-star defensive end Shavar Manuel (6-4, 290) is rated as a Top 10 player in the country, and the nation's best strong-side defensive end by 247Sports. ESPN and Rivals have Manuel ranked as a Top 5 player at his position.
He visited FSU twice since February 21, when Warchant.com reported he committed to the Seminoles. Manuel denied the report that day, but has a spot in FSU's class if he wants it. FSU currently has commitments from four-star weak-side end Janarius Robinson (Panama City Bay) and three-star strong-side end Keir Thomas (Miami Central).
•The same can be said for Tampa Catholic five-star wide receiver Nate Craig-Myers (6-2, 205). He's the only player on FSU's recruiting board at the position besides Wakulla's Keith Gavin, a solid FSU commit. Craig-Myers decommitted from Auburn on May 6 and has visited FSU once in February and twice in April, including the Seminoles' spring game.
•Coconut Creek four-star cornerback Trayvon Mullen (6-2, 175) visited FSU for three consecutive days last week before the beginning of Jimbo Fisher's football camps on Wednesday. Mullen is FSU's No. 1 cornerback on the board with Madison Germantown High (MS) cornerback Nigel Knott (5-11, 175) right behind him after his own three-day stay on campus ending Friday.
FSU is in the market for at least five defensive backs, and already has pledges from five-star cornerback Levonta Taylor from Virginia, New Orleans cornerback Kyle Meyers and Miami Central athlete Jamel Cook, who projects as a safety.
•Havelock (N.C.) linebacker Keion Joyner (6-3, 200) is ranked as the No. 2 linebacker in 2016 by 247Sports behind Clemson commit Raushaun Smith, who visited FSU last week but is firm to his pledge with the Tigers. Getting Joyner, who has interest in LSU and North Carolina, on campus for a visit would bode well for the Seminoles.
FSU already has pledges from three linebackers — four-star Josh Brown, junior-college four-star Tyree Horton and three-star Emmert Rice — and is in the market for Flanagan four-star linebacker Devin Bush Jr. (6-0, 220). Bush, rated a Top 10 linebacker in the country, is considering FSU alongside Michigan and Georgia.
FSU could end up with at least three of the five linebackers.
•Fort Pierce Central three-star offensive tackle Stewart Reese (6-5, 348) has picked up offers from Virginia, Michigan State and Notre Dame since visiting FSU for the second time in two months for the Seminoles' spring game in April. He's ranked as a Top 40 offensive lineman by 247Sports, but his stock is rising.
FSU would accept a pledge from Reese or Archbishop Carroll (Washington, DC) offensive tackle Richard Merritt (6-5, 345), who is ranked as a Top 10 offensive guard in the country. Merritt planned to visit FSU last week but did not make it to campus.
FSU currently has commitments from three offensive lineman in 2016.
•Wake Forest High (N.C) five-star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence (6-5, 310) is ranked as a Top 5 player at his position in the country, and the Seminoles would like to sign one more defensive tackle to join Godby's Cedric Wood. FSU may be facing an uphill battle for his services however, with Florida leading the way.
•Coral Gables running back Amir Rasul (5-10, 200) is the only running back on FSU's board at the moment. With Dalvin Cook and Jacques Patrick already on the roster and a thin group of running backs in the 2016 cycle, FSU made a late push to try and snag four-star running back Jordan Scarlett from Miami before he signed with Florida in February. The Seminoles will try to do the same with Rasul, but will recruit the position mightily in 2017.
