Florida State Camp: Top Performers
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Recruiting wrap: It's early in the process for Gamble, but he's thought to be leaning toward Tennessee for the time being.
Performance: Gamble worked out on Wednesday and made the most noise of any receiver that suited up. He was smooth out of his breaks and flashed impressive acceleration. The class of 2017 prospect is one of south Florida's best underclassman receivers and looked the part in front of the FSU staff. He beat some formidable defensive backs rather soundly during one-on-one work.
3
DE
Vandarius Cowan (2017)
Palm Beach Gardens (Fla.)
Recruiting wrap: Cowan committed to Florida State on Thursday.
Performance: A new Florida State commit, Cowan was one of the more physically impressive prospects in camp. His hulking physique drew attention before he stepped foot on the field and he moved well once the action started. He has a quick first step for a prospect of his build and has the frame of a truly elite and versatile defensive end.
4
DB
Al Blades (2018)
Ft. Lauderdale (Fla.) University School
Recruiting wrap: Blades is committed to Miami and it doesn't seem like there is any hypothetical situation capable of changing that.
Performance: Simply put, Blades has a chance to be special. The 2018 prospect is still growing into his body and already has high-level coverage skills. He was the second most impressive defensive back during the first two days of camp and will only get better as he gets longer. His instincts are incredible for a prospect of his age, and he has athleticism in spades. Blades locked down on a handful of highly regarded receivers on Thursday.
5
LB
Jarez Parks(2017)
Sebastian (Fla.) Sebastian River
Recruiting wrap: Parks has a list of major offers and names no favorites. That said, Florida State, Clemson and Michigan seem most involved at the time being.
Performance: Another impressive-looking prospect, it's not hard to pick Parks out of a crowd. He has the build of a top-level football prospect and still has plenty of time to add even more muscle. Once on the field, he moves well laterally and is surprisingly agile for a prospect of his stature. He didn't show much in coverage at the camp but moved incredibly fluidly in drills.
6
QB
Jake Allen (2017)
Ft. Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas
Recruiting wrap: Allen recently landed an offer from Florida, which is thought to be his clear leader.
Performance: Allen showed up at Florida State on Thursday fresh off a visit to Florida. He looked solid throwing the football and made a handful of impressive throws during one-on-ones. Allen is not perfect mechanically, but he's made great strides in the last year. Allen is starting to look more and more like a top-flight 2017 quarterback at every stop on the offseason circuit.
7
DB
New Orleans (La.) Holy Cross
Recruiting wrap: Meyers committed to Florida State following Thursday's afternoon session.
Performance: Meyers did not work out on Wednesday but was a standout on Thursday, as he went to-to-toe with a number of bigger wide receivers and showed enough physicality to jam them. The 5-foot-11 Meyers was also solid in coverage and runs well for a prospect with solid length.
8
OL
Alex Leatherwood (2017)
Pensacola (Fla.) Washington
Recruiting wrap: Leatherwood, who picked up a Florida State offer on Thursday, is committed to Alabama but is interested in taking a number of other visits.
Performance: Leatherwood was more fluid that the rest of the offensive line group and showcased quick feet in drills. There were no linemen one-on-one drills on Thursday, so his performance was a bit incomplete. That said, he looked like the class of the position in drills and other workouts. He seems comfortable with his still-growing frame and has quite an initial punch.
9
LB
Miami (Fla.) Norland
Recruiting wrap: Rice is committed to Florida State.
Performance: Rice's main strength is his agility. He projects as a linebacker at the next level but moves well enough to cover like a defensive back. His quickness is not to be underestimated. He will need to beef up before he is ready to play for the Seminoles but his quickness and long arms make him quite a prospect.
10
DB
Miami (Fla.) Norland
Recruiting wrap: Mayes holds offers from N.C. State and Louisville.
Performance: Mayes, who worked the Thursday afternoon session only, has an incredibly long build and improving ball skills. He made one of the day's nicest interceptions in one-on-ones and was praised for his footwork by FSU coaches. Mayes isn't the most athletic defensive back in the country but his length and solid fundamentals compensate for some of that. Mayes has great upside and could help any number of BCS-level teams.
11
QB
Joey Gatewood (2018)
Jacksonville (Fla.) Bartram Trail
Recruiting wrap: Florida State is the clear leader in Gatewood's recruitment.
Performance: Gatewood wasn't at his best during the first day of camp, but still managed to show the upside that makes him a wildly interesting prospect. The physical tools he has are rarely duplicated and his arm strength is already there in spades. Gatewood looked much better zipping the ball into tight windows on day No. 2 but still needs to work on his progressions and footwork. There's a lot to like about the 2018 prospect, not the least of which is his unlimited upside. Gatewood is already an elite athlete, and he could become something special as he develops as a passer.
12
DB
Ahman Ross (2017)
Jacksonville (Fla.) Bolles
Recruiting wrap: Ross has offers from Florida State and Miami but is higher on the Seminoles than he is on the Hurricanes.
Performance: Ross worked out on Wednesday and was one of the more active and impressive defensive backs in attendance. He shined in one-on-ones and showed off impressive speed when it came time to turn and run. There's plenty to like about Ross. That much is clear. Still, the class-of-2017 defensive back could stand to add muscle in the coming year.
13
ATH
Mark Pope (2018)
Miami (Fla.) Southridge
Recruiting wrap: Pope has yet to land his first scholarship offer but has drawn interest from Georgia, Alabama and Ole Miss. He calls Alabama his "dream school."
Performance: Just a freshman, Pope, who played wide receiver on Wednesday, is far from a finished product. He likely has some serious growing left to do, but already has the thickness of a much older prospect. He also has the explosiveness of a national-level recruit. A member of the class of 2018, Pope used quick cuts and acceleration to best a group of older defensive back for the majority of the camp's opening day.
14
QB
Jake Fromm (2017)
Warner Robins (Ga.) Houston County
Recruiting wrap: Fromm has a handful of offers but has yet to name a favorite in the process.
Performance: Fromm had one of the strongest arms on day No. 2 of camp. He spins it well and the ball jumps out of his hands. He is prone to deep drops and needs to develop his feet. Physically, however, he's beyond solid. He can make every throw and has nice arm mechanics. Fromm didn't earn an offer on the spot, but he certainly has caught the eye of the FSU coaching staff.
15
WR
Gregory Rousseau (2018)
Coconut Creek (Fla.) Monarch
Recruiting wrap: Rousseau is awaiting his first offer. Miami could be close to making things official but Rousseau seems to be particularly interested in a nod from FSU.
Performance: Just a freshman, Rousseau was one of the longer wide receivers at the event. He made his mark during one-on-ones and caught everything thrown his way. He will get better as a route runner as he begins to feel more comfortable with his 6-foot-4 frame, but he has solid hands and provides a big target for his quarterback. Rousseau has nice upside, but it's too early to tell what he may develop into.
Southeast Region recruiting intern Kerrin Welsh contributed to this report
Rob Cassidy
Midlands/Southwest Recruiting Analyst
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