Fact or Fiction: FSU is the front-runner for Julian Armella
Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney and national recruiting analyst Sam Spiegelman along with Michael Langston from Warchant.com tackle three topics and determine whether they believe each statement.
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1. A revitalized Florida State is the frontrunner for Julian Armella.
Gorney’s take: FACT. There is no clear leader in Armella’s recruitment right now and LSU and Alabama definitely have his attention, but the five-star was back at Florida State for the season opener and there is definitely serious interest there. When I talked to Armella’s dad over the weekend, he said his son wants to go to a winning program and that has not been FSU recently. But it’s certainly trending in the right direction. Armella keeps visiting Tallahassee, keeps seeing things he likes and that cannot be a bad thing.
Langston’s take: FICTION. For now. It was a very big deal that FSU got Armella on campus this weekend and then delivered that performance that I hear impressed Armella a good amount. In addition, he's likely going to take an official visit to FSU. All those things are strong developments, but LSU is still a school he's pretty high on and FSU needs to continue to show a good product. Good news for FSU is Armella is not in a hurry to decide. This weekend puts it on the right track but it's premature to say they are a frontrunner in the race, at least right now. Alabama and a few other teams could turn up the heat as the season goes on.
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2. Gunner Stockton is a stat machine, but Conner Weigman is the best dual-threat QB in the 2022 class.
Gorney’s take: FACT. It was a small sample size of one game – and Stockton was very good on national television – but Weigman right now is a more capable passing threat and that’s why I would give him the edge in this discussion. It’s not going to be easy, though, because the Georgia commit has incredible moxie, poise and playmaking ability. Stockton is a fantastic team leader and I’m not disparaging him at all. I just see Weigman’s abilities translating better to the college game and beyond. He throws such a nice, catchable ball, he can run by people and at the Elite 11 he was really impressive in the competitions. It’s close but I give the nod to Weigman right now.
Spiegelman’s take: FACT. For the simple fact that we've seen Conner Weigman in multiple settings, from camps, the Elite 11 and live in-games, he's passed the test time and time again. A 2021 version of Johnny Manziel, Weigman has special arm talent and is extremely productive throwing on the run and making off-platform throws on the regular. He's always poised, always up for the challenge and has a knack for making plays in big games. Weigman is the highest-rated quarterback recruit for Jimbo Fisher since arriving at Texas A&M and ultimately, might be the best.
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3. There are a lot of talented running backs in the 2022 class, but Oklahoma State commit Ollie Gordon is the most underrated.
Gorney’s take: FACT. The season is short but there have already been multiple highlight reels of Ollie Gordon on social media that show off his versatility and athleticism, and an argument could be made for him to be in the 5-7 range at the running back position. He’s fast and shifty, tough to bring down and his size is really impressive. Gordon is mainly playing quarterback this year, which is tough because it’s not his natural position but the four-star can do so many things with the ball in his hands. The Oklahoma State commit should not be overlooked.
Spiegelman’s take: FACT. I like where Gordon sits in the rankings and playing as Euless (Texas) Trinity's quarterback as a senior as opposed to a traditional running game isn't going to stray me any other way. Gordon is a special athlete that happens to play the running back position -- with the ability to make catches out of the backfield, run downhill and punish defenders in his path. In a high-flying Oklahoma State offense where the passing game dominates, Gordon will give the Pokes a true north-south runner to balance the offense and a physical back that'll garner carries near the goal line and short-yardage situations.
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