FSU Seminoles: Alabama Crimson Tide
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- ESPN 150 outside linebacker Jacob Pugh (Tallahassee, Fla./Godby) has aspirations to play in the NFL, just like many players his age. Regardless of where his football career takes him, this 6-foot-4, 220-pound athlete has another dream that he plans to fulfill.
"I want to own my own trucking company," Pugh said. "For one, my uncle had a trucking business for a long time. A couple people that go to my church are truck drivers. They just talk to me about what they do and it seems fun and interesting. It's something I'd really like to do.
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The plans for Indianapolis Pike receiver Dominique Booth are changing again.
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With his announcement set for Friday, four-star wide receiver Dominique Booth (Indianpolis/Pike) trimmed his list one more time this week.
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LSU and Ohio State were the top two for ESPN 150 wide receiver Saeed Blacknall. Now the two are bookends for the Manalapan (N.J.) High School star's top five.
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D'Andre Walker (Fairburn, Ga./Langston Hughes) racked up 105 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 21 sacks, two forced fumbles, two recovered fumbles and a blocked punt last season as a junior. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound pass rusher played a huge role in helping his team to a 10-2 record and its first playoff berth in school history and hit the recruiting map late in January, when North Carolina became the first program to offer Walker.
Since that time, 34 other programs have offered Walker. While Walker says all schools are now even, three coaching staffs have been able to connect with him the best so far. The 2015 prospect almost committed to one of them a few months back.
Since that time, 34 other programs have offered Walker. While Walker says all schools are now even, three coaching staffs have been able to connect with him the best so far. The 2015 prospect almost committed to one of them a few months back.
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HUEYTOWN, Ala. -- College coaches from across the country came to see ESPN 150 running back Racean Thomas (Oxford, Ala./Oxford) this spring, but it was the usual suspects -- Alabama and Auburn -- who were in attendance for his spring game on Saturday night.
The Alabama native didn’t disappoint. In two quarters of action, Thomas rushed seven times for 124 yards and two touchdowns. He took his first carry 73 yards for a score.
With that type of performance, it’s no surprise that new schools continue to enter the mix.
The Alabama native didn’t disappoint. In two quarters of action, Thomas rushed seven times for 124 yards and two touchdowns. He took his first carry 73 yards for a score.
With that type of performance, it’s no surprise that new schools continue to enter the mix.
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CRAWFORDVILLE, Fla. -- He's only a freshman, but Wakulla wide receiver Keith Gavin has already garnered offers from Florida State, Florida, Clemson, South Carolina and Ole Miss.
The 6-foot-1, 170-pound 2016 prospect is just starting the recruiting process but has caught the eye of many college across the southeast.
"It's been crazy," Gavin said. "Just about every week I've been having a different coach come to see me and watch me practice."
Gavin acknowledges that it's still too early to narrow down his choices, but he admits there is a school he grew up rooting for.
The 6-foot-1, 170-pound 2016 prospect is just starting the recruiting process but has caught the eye of many college across the southeast.
"It's been crazy," Gavin said. "Just about every week I've been having a different coach come to see me and watch me practice."
Gavin acknowledges that it's still too early to narrow down his choices, but he admits there is a school he grew up rooting for.
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John Saunder gives his take on Texas, Alabama, LSU, Florida, Florida State and other schools offering eighth-grader Dylan Moses a scholarship.
Several days ago, safety Mattrell McGraw (River Ridge, La./John Curtis Christian) was perusing Facebook when he decided to get in touch with Florida State defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt.
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Official Visit: Thomas’ trouble; AU heats up
May, 8, 2013
May 8
10:34
AM ET
By RecruitingNation | ESPN.com
NoleNation’s Corey Dowlar talks with Phil Murphy about the latest in Florida State 2013 signee Matthew Thomas' saga, and TideNation's Greg Ostendorf stops by to talk about the impending decisions of ESPN 150 recruits Tre’ Williams and Justin Thornton.
JEFFERSON, Ga. -- A bystander watching Preston Williams (Lovejoy, Ga./Lovejoy) warm up at the Georgia state track and field championships simply said, “Who is that guy?” Williams stood on the edge of the long jump pit -- where he was challenging for a state title as only a sophomore -- and exploded with a flat-footed jump to the middle of the pit, reaching a height and distance that turned heads.
As did his outfit. Williams wore blindingly bright yellow shoes, mismatched socks (one was a multi-colored, neon leopard print, while the other was decorated with cupcakes), cut-off camouflage sweat pants over black leggings and a Lovejoy t-shirt. The ensemble was topped off with a gray scarf that would look great on a 78-year-old retiree from Boca Raton but seemed out of place wrapped around Williams’ noggin as a headband.
“This is my look,” Williams said. “My jumping look -- I am exotic.”
While his fashion is eclectic, the true answer to who Williams is a lot more complicated.
As did his outfit. Williams wore blindingly bright yellow shoes, mismatched socks (one was a multi-colored, neon leopard print, while the other was decorated with cupcakes), cut-off camouflage sweat pants over black leggings and a Lovejoy t-shirt. The ensemble was topped off with a gray scarf that would look great on a 78-year-old retiree from Boca Raton but seemed out of place wrapped around Williams’ noggin as a headband.
“This is my look,” Williams said. “My jumping look -- I am exotic.”
While his fashion is eclectic, the true answer to who Williams is a lot more complicated.
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Whether he realized it before, Bailey Granier (Galliano, La./South Lafourche) can be certain now -- he's got an offer from Florida State.
Late last week, offensive line coach Rick Trickett dropped by the school to check on the 6-foot-6, 350-pound tackle to make sure he knew they were interested.
Late last week, offensive line coach Rick Trickett dropped by the school to check on the 6-foot-6, 350-pound tackle to make sure he knew they were interested.
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Thomas Holley’s recruitment has been a lot like his most recent visit.
The ESPN 150 defensive tackle out of Brooklyn (N.Y.) Abraham Lincoln was at Penn State for the annual spring game, which was hampered by every weather condition imaginable.
“It did a little bit of everything -- rain, snow, everything -- it was crazy,” Holley said.
The first few months of his recruitment have been the same. Holley, No. 93 in the ESPN 150, has seen it all in a short time. He went from basketball prospect to first-year football player to playing just a handful of games to landing his first offer. Now he is an Under Armour All-American with more than 20 offers.
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Take 2: What does FSU's draft haul mean?
April, 30, 2013
Apr 30
2:00
PM ET
By
Andrea Adelson | ESPN.com
Florida State set a school record with 11 NFL draft picks over the weekend. That also happened to lead the entire nation, ranking ahead of national champion Alabama, LSU and yes, even Florida.
So what does this say about the Noles as a program? Are they finally back, or just a pack of underachievers? Andrea Adelson and Heather Dinich debate.
Andrea says: The proof is in the picks.
We all know the Seminoles have their detractors, who believe every season must be a perfect season or else it is a complete and utter disappointment. Raising the bar the way this program did in the late 1980s through the mid-2000s means living with the type of expectations reserved for only the most elite programs in the entire country.
Coach Jimbo Fisher lives with these expectations every day. But he also lives in reality. And reality says that Florida State stumbled badly in the final few years under coach Bobby Bowden, and it takes more than snapping your fingers, rolling a Florida State helmet onto a field and planting a spear to get a program back into national championship contention.
It takes time. And it takes talent. And, well, Florida State had a lack of talent. In Bowden’s final four seasons, 2006-09, the Noles had 12 total draft picks -- including one in the 2009 draft. That’s just one more than Florida State had this past weekend. So, Fisher has gotten the talent on par with what Florida State used to produce.
So what does this say about the Noles as a program? Are they finally back, or just a pack of underachievers? Andrea Adelson and Heather Dinich debate.
Andrea says: The proof is in the picks.
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Streeter Lecka/Getty ImagesFlorida State's Jimbo Fisher had as much talent to work with as any coach in the country last season.
Streeter Lecka/Getty ImagesFlorida State's Jimbo Fisher had as much talent to work with as any coach in the country last season.Coach Jimbo Fisher lives with these expectations every day. But he also lives in reality. And reality says that Florida State stumbled badly in the final few years under coach Bobby Bowden, and it takes more than snapping your fingers, rolling a Florida State helmet onto a field and planting a spear to get a program back into national championship contention.
It takes time. And it takes talent. And, well, Florida State had a lack of talent. In Bowden’s final four seasons, 2006-09, the Noles had 12 total draft picks -- including one in the 2009 draft. That’s just one more than Florida State had this past weekend. So, Fisher has gotten the talent on par with what Florida State used to produce.
RecruitingNation: Building for the future
April, 28, 2013
Apr 28
1:54
PM ET
By ESPN.com staff | ESPN.com
Tom Luginbill breaks down what some of the top teams in the country have done this spring in recruiting.
ABOUT NOLE NATION
David Hale
David Hale joined ESPN.com in 2012 after covering the Philadelphia Phillies for The News Journal in Wilmington, Del., and the University of Georgia for The Macon (Ga.) Telegraph. Hale has written about college and professional sports since 2004. He currently lives in Tallahassee, Fla., and can be reached at davidmhale@gmail.com.
Corey Dowlar
Corey Dowlar joined ESPN.com in 2012 after covering Florida State and South Florida athletics for 247Sports.com and Rivals.com. Dowlar has written about Florida State sports and recruiting since 2007. He currently lives in Clearwater, Fla., and can be reached at cdowlar@gmail.com.