The month of June is going to be a very busy one for the Florida State Seminoles coaching staff on the recruiting trail. We’ll take a look at official visitors expected in each weekend (and mid-week in some cases) and let you know what we’ve heard around each prospect as well as our thoughts on where FSU stands for their signatures.
This weekend, FSU will host nine official visitors. Let’s get to it!
Commitments:
LB Ethan Pritchard
Pritchard committed to Florida State back in October of 2023 over numerous other SEC offers. It was surprising to see a blue-chip prospect from Sanford choose FSU over Florida, but Pritchard loves what Norvell and his staff are doing in Tallahassee. Interestingly, Pritchard will OV this weekend while the other FSU commits will all take their OVs on June 21, but I anticipate that Pritchard will come back up to Tallahassee to join his future classmates on the 21st.
Pritchard notched 75 tackles (11 for loss), four passes defensed, and a fumble recovery last season. Barring any major surprises during the season, FSU should have no difficulties keeping the 6’1”, 200 pound Pritchard’s commitment.
Targets:
RB Ousmane Kromah
Once a strong FSU lean, the Georgia Bulldogs will now be very hard to beat for the 5’11”, 200-pound bruiser from Lee County, GA. FSU will shoot its shot this weekend with Kromah, at minimum playing the long game and positioning itself well should he enter the transfer portal in a year or two. He’ll be at Georgia on June 21 and assuming the Dawgs are similarly prioritizing him, I wouldn’t be surprised if he commits to Kirby Smart shortly thereafter, with FSU finishing a strong second.
Kromah eclipsed 1,500 rushing yards in his sophom*ore season, averaging 8.3 yards per carry and scoring 20 rushing touchdowns. He followed that up with a junior season of 1,783 yards (good for an average of 9.8 yards per carry) and finding the end zone 20 more times on the ground. He also showcased his hands, catching 31 balls for 522 yards and nine additional touchdowns. Kromah is a good bet to eventually be a feature back in whatever school’s rotation he chooses.
TE Chase Loftin
Loftin is probably going to remain in the Midwest but TE coach Chris Thomsen has developed a good relationship with him. The 6’6”, 215 pound tight end is a Nebraska legacy and the Cornhuskers get his final summer OV, so it’s likely he’ll be wearing red instead of garnet in college. His brother Brayden chose Kansas State.
Loftin caught 34 passes for 440 yards and six touchdowns in his junior season.
OL Max Buchanan
Straight outta Sanford and a teammate of Pritchard’s, the 6’4”, 275 pound Buchanan started at tackle for his high school but is likely to slide inside at the next level. UCF, Miami, Penn State, Ole Miss, and Clemson are the other five finalists competing with FSU for Buchanan, and Clemson in particular has made a strong impression of late. The Tigers are likely the top competition for Buchanan but he’s developed a strong relationship with Alex Atkins and I like him better than some of the other interior OL targets FSU is involved with. If FSU prioritizes him like I think they will, they’ll be in a good spot to add Buchanan to #Tribe25.
Edge Zion Grady
Another top national prospect who has expressed consistent interest in Florida State, Grady is the headliner this weekend. The 6’4”, 235 pound edge is exactly what you look for in an impact defender prospect and has a very high ceiling to match his already advanced skillset.
His sophom*ore campaign was damn-near remarkable, as Grady led his team to the state title game, won Alabama Class 5A Lineman of the Year, and racked up 108 tackles, 22 sacks, 3 blocked kicks, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. He followed that up with a strong junior campaign and holds over 30 offers.
FSU is a legitimate player for Grady’s services but I think it’s most likely that he ends up in the $EC with Auburn or Alabama, with Ohio State, Georgia, and Miami (FL) also making things interesting. If he ever enters the portal, FSU could find itself in great position for him if it can’t pull him in this cycle.
DB Ladarian Clardy
For those of you who hold soft spots for Seminole players from the panhandle, Clardy is your man. The 6’0”, 175 pound defensive back from Pensacola was elated when FSU offered him in early May and will see the Seminoles this weekend before tripping to Mississippi State and Ole Miss in June, with a late July official visit scheduled to Miami (FL).
Clardy accumulated 57 tackles, eight pass breakups, and snagged four interceptions playing safety last season. His recruitment has skyrocketed over the spring and he may not be done earning major offers, so it appears Clardy may not be in a rush to commit. Clardy’s camp has a lot of love for FSU so the Seminoles will be a strong option for him no matter what.
DB Bryce Fitzgerald
Fitzgerald is a recent addition to this weekend’s list. The 6’1”, 175 pound defensive back from Columbus High in Miami is a classic recruiting battle between the Big 3 Florida schools, with LSU and USC involved as well.
An accomplished basketball player who is newer to football, Fitzgerald burst on to the national scene following a junior campaign that saw him intercept 10 passes, including two against Tramell Jones’ Mandarin squad in the 4M championship game that Columbus would win. FSU has some catching up to do with the other two in-state rivals and will look to make a strong impression on Fitzgerald during his visit, but this recruitment feels like Miami’s to lose.
DB Tony Williams
Tony Williams is currently committed to UCF but that hasn’t stopped the Seminoles from targeting him as a flip candidate. Williams will be in Tallahassee this weekend and is scheduled to return to Orlando the following weekend to give UCF a chance to reaffirm his commitment.
The 6’1”, 190 pounder from West Palm Beach transitioned to primarily playing defense last season and snagged five interceptions along with 16 passes defensed. This one might go through the regular season if FSU doesn’t push hard for him over the weekend but the Seminoles would have a good shot at flipping Williams whenever they do make their push.
DB Max Redmon
Mike Norvell has a personal interest in Redmon and has cultivated a strong relationship with the 6’0”, 185 pounder from West Palm Beach, along with DB coach Pat Surtain. Redmon is an under-the-radar prospect and plays the defensive back position with a linebacker’s mentality, as that’s where he spent the most time as a sophom*ore.
He may not have the green light to pull the trigger on a commitment just yet, as it may come down to numbers. If FSU misses on a few other targets or has seen enough to green-light him over his visit, I think it’s extremely likely Redmon will commit to FSU this summer.
