Commitment breakdown: Florida State lands defensive end George Wilson
Virginia Beach (Va.) Green Run star George Wilson thought he had his recruitment wrapped up when he committed to South Carolina back in July but the firing of Will Muschamp made the defensive end rethink his plans. Wilson decommitted from South Carolina shortly after the coaching change and announced a top three of Auburn, North Carolina, and Florida State.
North Carolina came in second the first time around with Wilson but the Tar Heels are pretty tight on available scholarships right now. Auburn looked like the favorite soon after Wilson hit the open market but lost that momentum almost as quickly as they picked it up when Gus Malzahn was fired. Florida State’s need for a versatile pass rusher intrigued Wilson and his many calls and virtual meetings with the coaching staff helped him build strong relationships quickly. Things went well enough with the Seminoles for Wilson to sign with Florida State on Wednesday.
*****
CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2022 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
COVERAGE: Rivals Transfer Tracker | Rivals Camp Series
*****
IN HIS OWN WORDS...
"I just felt at home when talking to coach Odell, coach JP, coach Fuller, and coach Norvell," Wilson said. "They were treating me like I was already part of their team. I like where they're going to play me at.
"The coaches are talking about putting me at the FOX position," he said. "I've watched a lot of film and I like the way they use that position and I feel like it's a lot of what I already do. The coaches are talking about me putting on weight, getting to about 240-pounds.
"I think I'm going to fit in well with this group," said Wilson. "I think we mesh well and this defensive line group will come in and help the rebuilding process."
WHAT FLORIDA STATE IS GETTING
Wilson is a great edge prospect that can create chaos in the backfield. He uses his hands well to disengage from offensive linemen but he is usually able to get by them using his pure speed and quickness off the line. Wilson has a natural athleticism that makes it easy for him to play with leverage and dip under the hands of offensive linemen. He plays stronger than he looks and the strength and conditioning staff will have plenty of room to fill out his frame with solid mass. Wilson has shown the tools to be able to play in space but is a bit raw in the area so he’ll need to be coached up before the staff can rely on him to stand up and cover in space.
WHY IT'S BIG FOR THE SEMINOLES
Florida State needed a boost on their defensive front and Wilson should fill a hole in this recruiting class. Odell Haggins built a strong bond with Wilson and that trust helped Florida State pull off this big recruiting win. Wilson was already penciled into Auburn’s recruiting class but the coaching change opened the door for Florida State and they took full advantage of the opportunity. Florida State now holds commitments from four defensive ends in this 2021 recruiting class, giving the Noles plenty of depth at the position.