TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - It may not be a top-ranked recruiting class like in 2011 or number two like 2012, but Jimbo Fisher has brought in another top-10 recruiting class to Florida State.
According to ESPN rankings, the Noles' 22 student athletes in the class of 2013 collectively rank ninth in the country. Alabama is ranked number one for the second year in a row, followed by Florida, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Ole Miss, Michigan, LSU, and Texas A&M. Georgia rounds out the top 10 after Florida State.
Coach Fisher held a news conference after completing his class. You can find video of that conference in the player on the right hand side of the screen. A complete list of the Noles signing class, along with short biographies of each player, is below.
From FSU Sports Information:
Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown/Previous School
Nate Andrews DB 6-0 195 Fairhope, Ala./Fairhope
Wilson Bell OL 6-4 305 Prichard, Ala./Blount
Davarez Bryant DE 6-4 240 New Smyrna Beach, Fla./New Smyrna Beach, Fla.
Keith Bryant DT 6-2 306 Delray Beach, Fla./Atlantic
Ira Denson OL 6-4 317 Madison, Fla./Madison County
John Franklin III QB 6-1 171 Plantation, Fla./South Plantation
Ryan Green RB 5-10 197 St. Petersburg, Fla./Catholic
Ryan Hoefeld OL 6-3 287 New Orleans, La./Brother Martin
Desmond Hollin DE 6-4 275 Brooklyn, NY/ASA College/Miami Southridge
Ro'Derrick Hoskins LB 6-3 215 Orlando, Fla./Evans
Isaiah Jones WR 6-4 200 Milton (Fla.)/Milton HS
Richy Klepal* OL 6-4 285 Tampa, Fla./Plant HS
Jeremy Kerr TE 6-6 254 St. Petersburg, Fla./St. Petersburg
E.J. Levenberry LB 6-3 230 Woodbridge, Va./C.D. Hylton
Tyrell Lyons LB 6-2 220 Jacksonville, Fla./First Coast
Jalen Ramsey DB 6-1 195 Brentwood, Tenn./Brentwood
Freddie Stevenson* LB 6-1 230 Bartow, Fla./Bartow
Matthew Thomas LB 6-3 210 Miami, Fla./Booker T. Washington
Demarcus Walker* DE 6-3 265 Jacksonville, Fla./Sandalwood
Marquez White CB 6-1 175 Dothan, Ala./Northview
Levonte Whitfield WR 5-9 176 Orlando, Fla./Jones
Jesus Wilson WR 5-11 175 Miami, Fla./Christopher Columbus
*January Early Enrollee
2013 Florida State Early Enrollees
Richy Klepal (6-4, 285), OL, Tampa (Fla.)/Plant
A former standout offensive lineman at powerful H.B. Plant High School in Tampa, Fla., Klepal projected as either a guard of offensive tackle at Florida State before his playing career was cut short early his senior year in 2012...advised by doctors not to play football anymore after multiple concussions, but still had his scholarship honored by FSU head coach Jimbo Fisher...enrolled at FSU in January along with linebacker Freddie Stevenson and defensive lineman DeMarcus Walker...served as captain of the Plant football team.
Freddie Stevenson (6-1, 230), LB, Bartow (Fla.)/Bartow
Enrolled at FSU in January and will take part in spring practice, providing him a jump on a class that is loaded with talented linebackers…attended Bartow High, the same school that produced long-time Seminole assistant coach Odell Haggins…a sure tackler who reportedly excels in run support both inside and outside…earned a 4-star ranking from PrepStar, Rivals and 247…Stevenson led Bartow with 83 tackles as a senior, including six tackles for loss, four of which were sacks…chose the Seminoles from a fine list of offers including Penn State, Louisville, Texas A&M and West Virginia…a strong student who also had offers from Duke and Vanderbilt.
DeMarcus Walker (6-3, 265), DE, Jacksonville (Fla.)/Sandalwood
Consensus 4-star recruit who was committed to Alabama before enrolling at Florida State in the spring of 2013…US Army All-American...invited to “The Opening” on the Nike campus…247Sports 38th-ranked player in the nation…member of the ESPN 150 (No. 40)…Rivals 100 member (No. 57)…PrepStar Top 150 Dream Team (No. 38)…ranked as one of the top five defensive tackle prospects in the nation by Rivals, ESPN and 247Sports…Scout.com lists Walker as the No. 7 defensive tackle in the 2013 class and PrepStar has him one spot higher at No. 6…listed as the sixth-best player in Florida by Rivals, the eight-best by 247Sports and the 11th-best by ESPN…Florida Times-Union Super 11 and Super 24 selection…second-team AP All-State in 2012…named AP All-State first team in 2011 and first team all-area by the Florida Times-Union after registering 14 sacks and 24 TFL as a junior...has a vertical of 31 inches and a 40 time of 5.04 according to Rivals…chose FSU over offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Miami and USC among others.
2013 Florida State SIGNEES
Nate Andrews (6-0, 195), DB, Fairhope (Ala.)/Fairhope
Versatile athlete who played receiver as a sophomore and junior and quarterback as a senior; also played in the defensive backfield where some schools were projecting him to play…as a junior in 2011 had 876 receiving yards and 17 touchdown receptions……holds 3-star rankings from ESPN, Rivals, 247 and Scout sites…FSU was the first school to extend Andrews an offer…he committed to the Seminoles in late January…competed in the Alabama/Mississippi All-Star Game…originally committed to Minnesota, which intended to play Andrews in the secondary…chose Florida State from a list of scholarship offers that included Alabama, Louisville, Ole Miss and Tennessee, among others.
Wilson Bell (6-4, 305), OL, Prichard (Ala.)/Blount
Another key, need-based recruit from the state of Alabama who will help build depth on the offensive line…strength and physicality are said to be his greatest assets, but is also extremely agile for his size…helped Blount reach the Alabama 6A state playoffs as a senior…played in the Alabama/Mississippi All-Star Game…ranked as a 3-star prospect by ESPN, Rivals, 247 and Scout…chose Florida State over Auburn and Ole Miss after originally committing to UCF.
Davarez Bryant (6-4, 240), DE, New Smyrna Beach (Fla.) New Smyrna Beach Senior HS
Under the radar prospect who was a target of UCF, USF, Cincinnati and Louisiana Lafayette before receiving interest and offers from programs like Alabama, Florida State, Kentucky and Purdue among others…highest star rating is three from both ESPN and 247Sports…first year of playing football came as a senior and he is being recruited on his raw tools and potential to continue to develop…put up impressive numbers in his only high school season posting 35 tackles, 10 TFL and four sacks…played high school basketball before switching to football…attended a different high school every year since he was a freshman…eventually chose Florida State over Iowa State.
Keith Bryant (6-2, 306), DT, Delray Beach (Fla.) Atlantic
Has been a primary target of the Seminoles for a long time…a disruptive interior force, Bryant’s initial burst off the line and into the backfield is one of his strengths, but he also shows the ability to play physically at the point of attack as well…helped his Atlantic High team to an 8-3 record, which included a district title and a trip to the FHSAA Class 7A state playoffs…participated in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl…holds a 4-star ranking from ESPN, Rivals, 247 and Scout sites…had more than a dozen offers from top 25-type programs and initially committed to Miami…chose Florida State over the Hurricanes, South Carolina, Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Penn State and USC.
Ira Denson (6-4, 317), OL, Madison (Fla.) Madison County
Florida State continued to mine the talent-rich Cowboys’ program, landing Denson who was a two-way star on the line but is tabbed to play on the offensive line for the Seminoles…a late-bloomer on the recruiting scene, he is universally considered one of the top 10 offensive guard prospects in the nation…he helped lead the Cowboys to a 12-2 record as a senior and a trip to the FHSAA 3A state championship game…has earned 4-star rankings from ESPN, Rivals, PrepStar and Scout… participated in the Under Armour All-American Bowl…committed to the ‘Noles in May and stayed true to his word, despite the pursuit and offers from Miami, Ole Miss, South Florida, Nebraska, South Carolina, Kentucky and Tennessee, among others.
John Franklin III (6-1, 171), QB, Plantation (Fla.) South Plantation
Outstanding athlete who starred as a run-pass quarterback at South Plantation and will get a chance to play that position with the Seminoles…was also recruited by a number of programs as a cornerback … led South Plantation to a 9-2 record, including a trip to the FHSAA 8A state playoffs…blessed with outstanding speed, having been timed at 4.38 in the 40, which is backed up by his fifth-place finish at the 4A state track & field championship in the 200… holds a 3-star ranking from ESPN, Rivals, 247, Scout and PrepStar…outstanding student-athlete who had offers from both Air Force and Navy…selected Florida State over Tennessee.
Ryan Green (5-10, 197), RB, St. Petersburg (Fla.) Catholic
Starred at St. Petersburg Catholic , where he played a variety of positions but primarily flourished at running back…many scouting services have Green rated as an “athlete” or all-purpose back…participated in the Under Armour All-American Bowl after missing much of his senior season with a shoulder injury…rushed for 1,069 yards and 14 touchdowns as a junior for St. Pete Catholic, where he also added 11 receptions for 143 yards and a score…also recorded 57 tackles and a pair of interceptions on defense…holds 4-star rankings from ESPN, PrepStar, Rivals, 247 and Scout sites...exceptionally fast and quick, with outstanding vision, Green has been timed consistently in the 4.4 range for 40 yards…committed to the Seminoles in June of 2012…ranked among top 50 players overall nationally…prized recruit who claimed offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, LSU, Notre Dame, Ohio State and USC among others.
Ryan Hoefeld (6-3, 287), OL, New Orleans (La.)/Brother Martin
A physically mature player who is a natural center, where he played for Brother Martin in New Orleans, La.…is said to excel in run blocking and plays with great intensity…holds a 3-star ranking from ESPN, Rivals, 247, Scout and PrepStar…widely considered among the top 10 center prospects nationally…camped at Florida State in summer of 2012 and connected with the coaching staff right away…chose the Seminoles over Arizona and TCU, among other offers.
Desmond Hollin (6-4, 275), DE, Brooklyn (N.Y.) ASA College/Miami Southridge
Three-star recruit who comes to FSU from ASA College via Southridge High School in Miami…hopes to find similar success at FSU as previous junior college defensive ends Markus White and Tank Carradine…247Sports ranks him as the 15th-best prospect at the SDE position and a top 150 JUCO player….originally committed to New Mexico out of high school…racked up 37 tackles, 17.5 TFL, 8.5 sacks, an interception, forced fumble, fumble recovery and defensive TD off his interception at ASA College in 2012…was a first team All-Dade selection in high school as he lead the county with 21 sacks…chose FSU over Kansas and Kentucky among others.
Ro’Derrick Hoskins (6-3, 215), LB, Orlando (Fla.)/Maynard Evans HS
ESPN four-star recruit and member of the ESPN300 (No. 168)…three-star recruit according to Rivals, 247Sports and Scout.com…selected to play in the Under Armour All-American Game…played in the Offense-Defense All-American Bowl in Houston, TX…made a key fourth quarter interception in the All-American game…ranked 14th at his position by ESPN, No. 36 by Rivals and No. 60 by 247Sports…ESPN lists Hoskins as the state’s 35th-best prospect while MaxPreps lists him at No. 68, Rivals at No. 80 and Scout.com at No. 104…PrepStar All-Southeast Region…No. 8 on the Orlando Sentinel’s 2013 Central Florida Super 60, ahead of highly recruited high school teammate Tony Stevens…BHSN No. 10 player in central Florida…No. 79 in the Southeast according to ESPN…two-way player who played linebacker and receiver at Evans but will play defense for FSU despite given the opportunity to play both positions with the Seminoles…chose FSU over Louisville and Auburn.
Isaiah Jones (6-4, 200), WR, Milton (Fla.)/Milton HS
Consensus four-star prospect…ESPN 300 selection (160)…Rivals 250 member (No. 227)…PrepStar Top 300 All-American…invited to “The Opening” on the Nike campus…participated in the Rivals 100 Five Star Challenge where Mike Farrell noted Jones is closer to a national top 150 prospect who could be a top-10 talent at the receiver position…regarded as one of the top 35 receivers in the 2013 class by ESPN (No. 18), 247Sports (No. 33), Rivals (No. 28) and Scout (No. 34)…one of the top 40 players in Florida according to Rivals (26), ESPN (32) and 247Sports (37)…according to ESPN few of the big receivers in the 2013 class can run like Jones, he is powerful, makes catches in traffic and he will simply take balls away from defenders…clocked between 4.5-4.69 in the 40-yard dash…32-inch vertical…99.33 SPARQ Rating…chose FSU over Auburn, Arkansas, Clemson, Georgia, Miami, Ohio State, Tennessee and Louisville among others.
Jeremy Kerr (6-6, 254), TE, St. Petersburg (Fla.)/St. Petersburg
A tight end by trade at St. Petersburg High, Kerr was an outstanding blocker on the edge for his school’s Wing-T offensive attack…has an impressive frame…was recruited by some schools with the idea of a move to the offensive line…holds a 3-star ranking from Scout and PrepStar…selected the Seminoles after originally committing to Miami…also held offers from Connecticut, Memphis and Purdue.
E.J. Levenberry (6-3, 230), LB, Woodbridge (Va.)/C.D. Hylton
Was a force during his senior season, registering 172 tackles (129 solo, 23 for loss), 14 deflections and 24 quarterback hurries as the Bulldogs posted a 10-3 record and reached the Virginia Group AAA Division 6 state semifinals…Levenberry registered 20 tackles, including 15 solo stops in his final game for the Bulldogs…C.D. Hylton was 21-4 over the course of Levenberry’s two seasons as a star linebacker…a two-time Washington Post All-Met selection…physical and explosive player who has outstanding football instincts…holds a 5-star rating from PrepStar and 4-star rankings from ESPN, Rivals, Scout and 247…consensus top 12 linebacker in the nation among recruiting sites…participated in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl…played his first two seasons of high school football at perennial Washington, D.C. area power DeMatha Catholic…held offers from 20 major programs, ultimately choosing FSU over Tennessee, Alabama and Oklahoma.
Tyrell Lyons (6-2, 220), LB, Jacksonville (Fla.) First Coast
The Seminoles keep a productive pipeline to Jacksonville’s First Coast open and flowing with the signing of Lyons…a versatile athlete, he played both safety and outside linebacker for the Buccaneers, but is being projected at linebacker at FSU where he rejoins friend and former teammate Reggie Northrup…said to have very strong coverage skills and a keen eye for reading and reacting to plays…also a sure tackler… registered 92 tackles, including nine tackles for loss, three fumble recoveries and two interceptions as a senior…holds a 4-star ranking from ESPN and Scout and is a 3-star prospect according to Rivals and PrepStar…earned second-team 7A All-State honors at linebacker as a senior…was selected to the All-First Coast team by the Florida Times-Union… selected the Seminoles over offers from Clemson, Miami, North Carolina, Ole Miss, Ohio State and South Carolina, among others.
Jalen Ramsey (6-1, 195), DB, Brentwood (Tenn.)/Brentwood
Ranked as one of the top athletes in the nation at either wide receiver or corner…rated a five star prospect by both Rivals and Scout and a four-star recruit according to ESPN and 247Sports…US Army All-American….invited to “The Opening” on the Nike campus…ranked No. 10 on the Rivals 100, No. 14 on the ESPN 150 and No. 39 on the Top247…consensus top 5 selection at CB…listed No. 2 by Scout, No. 3 by Rivals, No. 4 by ESPN and No. 5 by 247Sports…the consensus top recruit coming out of Tennessee in 2013…sat out his sophomore season due to transfer rules but put up big numbers on offense and defense in 2011 and 2012…registered 95 tackles, four TFL, three INT, 10 PBU, two fumble recoveries and five forced fumbles…in 2012 he hauled in 31 passes for 676 yards and nine TDs…also rushed five times for 85 yards…ESPN lists Ramsey with a 4.54 time in the 40, a 40.9-inch vertical and a 130.32 SPARQ rating…committed to USC but chose FSU over the Trojans, Florida, Alabama, Oregon, Miami and more than 20 other schools.
Matthew Thomas (6-3, 210), LB, Miami (Fla.)/Booker T. Washington
One of the most sought after prospects in the entire nation in 2013…a consensus five-star recruit who is also a consensus top 15 national prospect…ESPN has Thomas No. 6 in the ESPN150, he is 14th in the Top247 and 15th in the Rivals 100… US Army All-American...invited to “The Opening” on the Nike campus and Gridiron Kings…rated the fourth-best player in Florida by Rivals, 247Sports and Rivals…ESPN has Thomas listed as the No. 1 OLB prospect in the nation this year, Scout and Rivals list him at No. 2 and 247Sports has him at No. 3…registered 102 tackles and 13 sacks in 2011…numbers dropped to 53 tackles and seven sacks during the regular season as a senior as his Booker T. Washington beat opponents by an average of nearly 42 points and starters played less throughout the regular season…won a state championship playing both LB and DE as Booker T. Washington defeated Bolles and Thomas registered nine solo tackles…named first team All-Dade…ESPN clocked him at 4.59 in the 30 with a 35.6-inch vertical and a SPARQ rating of 114.36…Thomas’ mother is a native of the Republic of Suriname, a small South American Country bordered on its north side by the Atlantic Ocean…chose FSU over Miami, Alabama, USC, Georgia, Florida and more than 20 other offers.
Marquez White (6-1, 175), CB, Dothan (Ala.)/Northview
Member of the ESPN 300 (No. 158)…PrepStar Top 300 All-American…a four-star recruit according to Rivals and 247Sports…named a top 15 recruit in the state of Alabama according to ESPN (No. 7), 247Sports (No. 13) and AL.com (No. 14)…rated the nation’s fourth-best corner by PrepStar, the 17th-best corner by ESPN, No. 28 by Rivals and No. 44 by Scout.com…247Sports lists White as the nation’s No. 19 athlete…Rivals lists White as the 10th-best player in Alabama…selected to participate in the 2012 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic…led the Alabama team in tackles in the All-Star Classic…clocked at 4.5 in the 40-yard dash…recorded 39 tackles, three interceptions, forced a fumble, recovered a fumble and broke up nine passes as a senior…scored four touchdowns via receptions and returns…averaged 19.3 points, 10.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game for the Northview basketball team…committed to the Seminoles on Christmas Eve over offers from Alabama, Ole Miss, Auburn and Minnesota among others.
Levonte “Kermit” Whitfield (5-9, 176), WR, Orlando (Fla.)/Jones
One of the fastest high school players in the nation, Whitfield has run a 4.37 40-yard dash, which is the fastest recorded among 2013 class athletes in the ESPN database…explosive player on the edge who easily separates from defenders…also excelled as a return specialist at Orlando Jones…caught 38 passes for 520 yards and four touchdowns as a senior, helping Jones reach the second round of the 4A state football playoffs in 2012…holds a 4-star ranking from ESPN, Rivals and 247 and a 3-star mark from Scout and PrepStar…he is the cousin of current FSU freshman WR Marvin Bracy, who also runs track for the ‘Noles…like Bracy, will also double up and run track for the Seminoles…Whitfield is the reigning Florida 3A state champion in the 100 and 200 and has a personal-best 100 time of 10.21…he also won the adidas Dream 100 race in New York last summer against the nation’s top high school sprinters…committed to FSU in August 2012 and stayed firm, despite offers from Florida, Clemson, Miami, Ohio State, Texas A&M, South Carolina and West Virginia.
Jesus Wilson (5-11, 175), WR, Miami (Fla.)/Christopher Columbus
A four star prospect according to ESPN…received three stars from Rivals, Scout and 247Sports…another South Florida player who has committed to the Seminoles since Jimbo Fisher took over the program…scouting services are mixed on where to peg Wilson among receivers with ratings ranging from No. 23 to No. 148…Rivals lists Wilson as the 23rd-best athlete while he is at No. 56 on the 247Sports list as a WR, No. 62 on ESPN’s rankings and No. 148 according to Scout, both listing him as a receiver as well…combined to score 10 TDs as a senior…seven came on receptions and three on the ground…hauled in 26 passes for 524 yards…described as lightning quick, diminutive and tough by ESPN scouts…expected to play in the slot at FSU…chose the Seminoles over Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Ole Miss, USF and UCF among others.
