Mike Norvell Introduces FSU Football's #Tribe25 Signing Class
There were a few surprises for the Florida State Seminoles on the first day of the Early Signing Period. The 'Noles currently hold the No. 25 ranked recruiting class, with 18 players having signed a letter of intent and a few more expected to come along the way.
Florida State head coach Mike Norvell held a post-Early Signing Day press conference to introduce the incoming class of #Tribe25 and talk about the last-day flips that he said were a pleasant surprise. They brought in 11 4-stars, five 3-stars, two JuCo transfers, and five recruits in the ESPN300 in #Tribe25 with high expectations for the remainder of the class.
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One of the recruits that Florida State had to hang on to was consensus 4-star defensive lineman Kevin Wynn, Jr., out of Greensboro, GA. The 'Noles had to battle a late push from Georgia for the No. 10 defensive lineman in the Class of 2025. He is 6'2, 320 pounds, and was ranked at No. 223 on ESPN300.
"To see a guy with his size, he's got tremendous explosive get-off. He's such an impactful player. The way that he moves, he's unlike anybody else in the country in my opinion," Norvell said of Wynn. "He's so explosive. As we transition into a new year, obviously we're going to attack on defense. That's going to be something that we're going to do, and he is somebody that we've identified that that is the greatest trait in him.”
Nine of the 18 players that signed today are above 6'4'', two of them being at the wide receiver position. Height was something that the 'Noles lacked last season in the wide receiver room, and Teriq Mallory (6'5'', 190 pounds) and Jordan Scott (6'7'', 215 pounds) could be the answer FSU has been looking for.
"No, we wanted to go big, to say it that way," Norvell said of the size in the wide receiver room. "Adding Jordan, being able to go through and see what he does, Teriq, who joined the class here I think it was last night verbally, obviously signing here today. That's 6'5" and 6'7". We've had a lot of success with guys of that size, and just the matchup problems that that can create and the play-makers that they are."
Another big target for FSU's quarterbacks is former 4-star tight end Chase Loftin out of Omaha, NE. He's 6'6'' and 215 pounds and Norvell said that Loftin that he thought one of the stars of the class. Loftin was ranked as the No. 2 prospect out of Nebraska.
"I think one of the stars of the class is Chase Loftin. He has been our top target. He's been the guy that we've wanted as this thing has gone through. Building a relationship with him, getting him on campus, it was no doubt that -- the playmaker in space," Norvell emphasized. "He is a hybrid and can really do it all. He's one of the toughest matchup-problem players in the country. He's got great speed, great playmaking, great hands. Then he's also got a great deal of toughness that, when he has to come inside the box, you can feel him there as well."
The size and length extend to the other side of the ball as well. Defensive backs Sharmar Arnoux, Max Redmon, and Zae Thomas, Jr. are all above 6'2''.
"We've got three defensive backs that have joined the program, all with great length. I mean, Zae Thomas, just a corner from American Heritage, I think is going to be an outstanding player, very versatile in coverage and what he can do, playing up, playing off, get his eyes to the quarterback, and he'll put his pads on you," Norvell continued. "Max Redman. I think he is just a guy that can really play all five positions. He's got length. He's got versatility. He's a guy that a few years back I saw in a camp, and I think he's pushing 6'1", 6'2". He's just such a diverse skill set. I think he has the ability to play some corner. I think he has the ability to play safety, play deep, or being able to force himself into the box. Being able to get Shamar, was a top target for us. He's gone through this process. He is a guy that, of all the guys we had that came to camp this summer, he was the one that stood out to me as much as anybody."
There has been a quarterback competition at FSU, with QBs Luke Kromenhoek and Brock Glenn taking turns under center. Florida State brought in 4-star Texas quarterback Kevin Sperry to help bolster the room and add another element to the competition.
"I remember the first time I saw him out here on the practice field going through our quarterback camp, I mean, he just exploded. You heard about this young man from Dallas that was going to be here, and he just exploded through the course of the day," Norvell said of Sperry. "I watched the ball jump out of his hands. The accuracy. The precision in the passing game that he showed that young in his career, that's when we offered him."
To keep track of all Early Signing Period additions check out NoleGameday's ESP tracker here.
Watch as Norvell goes in-depth of #Tribe25 in his full interview below.
READ MORE: Top JUCO Defensive Lineman Commits To Florida State Over Mississippi State, Illinois
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