Florida State "the team to beat" for No. 1 prospect Desmond Ricks

The Seminoles have an early lead for the top prospect in the 2024 class.

The spring has been an opportunity for Florida State's coaching staff to get some of the top prospects in the country on campus. For the second time in less than a month, the No. 1 prospect in the 2024 class, Desmond Ricks, made his way to Tallahassee to check out the spring game.

This trip gave him a chance to watch the exhibition and see more of the campus.

"I enjoyed my time here," Ricks said. "Every time I'm here it's a family atmosphere."

"Last time I came up here, it was spring so I really didn't get to see much of the campus or what it was like," Ricks continued. "This time I got to see practice, see how Florida State football is."

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Throughout the spring game, Ricks paid close attention to the defensive backs. In a game where true freshman early enrollee Sam McCall had a few flashes, Ricks liked what he saw from the unit.

"They was attacking the ball a lot," Ricks said. "Really aggressive at the line of scrimmage. I enjoyed watching them play."

Just over 30,000 fans were inside Doak Campbell Stadium to get an eye on the team for the first time in 2022. Ricks thought the atmosphere was solid for a spring game.

"It was nice to see that," Ricks said. "It was actually packed for it to be a spring game. It was a nice atmosphere."

Following the game, Ricks and his family returned to the Moore to spend more time with the coaching staff. He met with head coach Mike Norvell and defensive back's coach Marcus Woodson.

"They just told me how much of a priority I am to Florida State," Ricks said. "You know, just building that relationship."

"They're just telling me about the school," Ricks continued. "Talking a lot of ball, family things, just getting to know each other."

The Virginia native's relationship with coach Woodson dates back to when Ricks was in eighth grade. They've become so close that Woodson is like a family member and that matters a ton.

"Really tight," Rick said. "Coach Woodson has been recruiting me since I was in eighth grade. Our relationship is tight, I look at him as like family, not a coach."

Coming out of his visit last month, Ricks was extremely high on the Seminoles. After watching the spring game and spending more time with the coaches, he says Florida State is the team to beat because he feels comfortable around the program.

"Definitely a top school right now," Ricks said. "The school to beat."

"When I'm here, I'm just comfortable," Ricks continued. "It feels like home. It's a family atmosphere. I'm tight with the coaching staff. I just feel comfortable here."

Outside of the staff, Ricks also has a relationship with two current Seminoles who played at IMG Academy during their prep careers, quarterback AJ Duffy and wide receiver Malik McClain. They've both put in a good word about the program.

"They say it's a nice place, they really enjoy themselves being here," Ricks said. "Coach Norvell is a good guy."

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While there was optimism that Ricks might make a commitment to Florida State during the visit, that did not end up occurring. Moving forward, he wants to continue exploring his options to make sure he's making the right decision.

"I probably won't commit until next year," Ricks said. "I just want to explore my options, see what it's like, make sure that's what I really want to do."

The next time that that 6-foot-1, 170-pound cornerback will be in Tallahassee is for game one against Duqesense. He visited Alabama over the weekend and also has upcoming trips to Florida, Oregon, and Ohio State.

Stick with NoleGameday for more updates on Ricks throughout his junior season. 

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