FSU commit Mario Edwards may have re-affirmed his commitment this weekend, but his recruitment feels far from over. (Photo courtesy of Under Armour).
With just more than two weeks left until Signing Day and one official visit still remaining, there are still likely to be some more twists in the recruitment of the consensus number one prospect in the country, Mario Edwards of Denton Ryan, the FSU defensive line commit who took his official visit to Florida State over the weekend.
All of the reports emerging following the visit are extremely positive, as several goes as far as to report that Edwards re-affirmed his commitment to other recruits on the trip and to Jimbo Fisher, saying that he will sign with Florida State ($). However, the big-time defensive line prospect still appears likely to take his final official visit to LSU next weekend and Mack Brown will have his in-home visit with the Edwards family in the coming days.
Mario Edwards, Sr. told Rivals after the visit that his son's established relationships ($) with the other members of the FSU class gives the Seminoles an advantage over FSU and despite all the Texas commits that spent time down in Orlando with MEJ, the reports from the Under Armour game have generally held that the 6-4, 296-pounder spent a great deal of quality time with the FSU commits during the week.
Edwards did tell Blake Munroe of Inside Texas that Texas was his leader at the start of the Under Amour week, but the uber-athletic defender seemed to clarify that position in other statements by saying it was only because he hadn't yet taken his official visit to Florida State.
If there's good news, it stems from a Big Cigar report indicating that MEJ has stayed in contact with the rest of the Texas class and that defensive coordinator Manny Diaz struck the right chords ($) during the family's visit on banquet weekend:
For most of Edwards' recruitment prior to the Texas visit, any school that told or hinted at Mario eventually growing into a defensive tackle fell way behind in the race--that is until Manny sat down with Edwards and his father. Manny Diaz flat told those two that Edwards was going to be playing DT in Texas' scheme. But he also said Edwards would play some on the edge, some as a blitzing LB, and sometimes even in coverage in a fire zone. The point is that Manny was completely honest with the Edwards family, and then he sealed the deal by popping in the film of examples throughout the season. Now other schools are having to play catch up because Edwards and his father know in their hearts that Junior is going to grow into a DT which will be his position in the NFL. Manny Diaz just found a way to navigate the position question landmines.
The other two major factors that could work in favor of Texas are distance and state pride. If MEJ decides that he wants to stay closer to his father and become a legend in the state of Texas, instead of simply a successful out-of-state player at Texas, he may opt to stay in his native state. It's also possible that Diaz has successfully sold Edwards on being able to contribute as a freshman in Austin in a package that would get him on the field immediately, instead of working to earn playing time in an established Florida State front.
Still, the major takeaway from the weekend seems to be that Florida State made the necessary impression to once again vault clearly into the lead, but also that Edwards seems to be prone to shifting direction in his preferences, even if he isn't exactly fickle. In other words, this one ain't over until the ink is dry and the fax is delivered.
0 recs | 92 comments
Thanks for the information, Wescott
I covered recruiting long enough to know that almost every recruit is positive after almost every visit he takes. Many commit the moment they return home. Then, time and other voices begin breaking through the rush of the moment, and the commitment gets shaky.
My sense on Edwards has been that he and his family were comfortable with the early commit to Florida State as a way to keep the pestering from other schools at a minimum. If FSU is where he wants to be, I have no problem with that. I don’t see him choosing LSU. But if Mack Brown can summon up his A1 in-home presentation, I still feel good about our chances.
If not, better MEj be at Free Shoes U than another Big 12 or an SEC school.
edsp - January 16, 2012
Mack has done it before. He can do it again.
But I completely agree. Let’s not hit the panic button. OF COURSE FSU is gonna feel good about him after his visit. That’s the way it works.
40A - January 16, 2012
Yep
I was not looking forward to seeing him on the other side of the RRS every year
Hobbes881 - January 16, 2012
What a TOOOL. FSU would spank Texasss in any regard. And remember..Mack was a Seminole 1st.
Jamie Ward - January 19, 2012
The MEJ games are growing tired! I understand he's 18 in all, but he should know it's not cool to be jerking ppl around.
Ryan Perrilloux anyone. I don’t even care if DGB doesn’t come to Texas. At least that cat has handled his recruitment with class.
kcmorse - January 16, 2012
lighten up Francis
MEj hasn’t been jerking anyone around.
CMDR - January 16, 2012
Wow now I'm Francis Soyer
Thanks boss
kcmorse - January 16, 2012
Francis Soyer?
That is a terrible thing to say about you! Who is Francis Soyer?
Snide Aside - January 17, 2012
Stripes!
The great Francis Soyer. “Now, any o’ you homos touch my stuff … I kill ya.”
robthecob - January 18, 2012
Um.
We were the ones to get in late on Mario Edwards. So chalk this one up to OUR staff.
40A - January 16, 2012
Not really.
Edwards was brought down the day before JD1 and given a tour. Then he committed to Florida State without really giving Texas much of a shot and then the Longhorns just didn’t get back on him until he opened up his recruitment again. I don’t really see how any of that is on the staff.
Wescott Eberts (GoBR) - January 16, 2012
Well,
considering we went after other recruits that were committed, I don’t know what held the staff back on the #1 recruit in the nation.
40A - January 16, 2012
how do you know they werent staying in touch with MEj?
you dont. just because you didnt read about it in the papers doesnt mean they werent keeping communication open with him.
6th street - January 16, 2012
Well I don't know, for sure.
But his interest level jumped substantially so high that we made his top 3. Now could that be because he opened up HIS interest level? Sure. But I don’t think so. Just my opinion.
I’m just tired of seeing comments about him “jerking us around”.
40A - January 16, 2012
well
certain UT sources (Recruitocosm) were saying all along to not be surprised if UT gets back into it with MEj, even when there was no word about him opening things up and taking visits to other schools. so its not like everyone was completely surprised by it. UT was the logical choice for him all along if he wanted to stay closer to home.
6th street - January 16, 2012
His level of interest jumped after seeing the defense in action all season and talking to Manny more. The kid is an FSU legacy and we all thought he was going to FSu since he was a soph. If anything you need to give our staff a lot of credit for getting this close after last seasons crapfest and getting blown out by OU who at the time was his 2nd favorite school.
shnsajax - January 16, 2012 via mobile
Yes.
40A - January 16, 2012
If he were so solid to FSU
he would just commit. There seems to be wiggle room.
bevomav - January 16, 2012
You mean recommit?
Bud Elliott - January 16, 2012
Or rather, re-affirm his commitment? Because he’s still committed to FSU.
Bud Elliott - January 16, 2012
oh shit GOBR
you got the sb nation recruiting big dog commenting here w/ us?!? holy crap, bud. haha
your gut feeling’s gotta be pretty good after yesterday, right?
mattw - January 16, 2012
I was told that he told FSU he’s coming, but that when a kid is still taking visits and lives OOS, it’s never an easy feeling.
Bud Elliott - January 16, 2012
I think he means stop taking visits
He’s not visiting LSU for the Baton Rouge riverboat casinos.
CMDR - January 16, 2012
He is ALL FSU!
He likes Texas but doesn’t want to play there. He will sign and play with the Noles.
Kris4153 - January 16, 2012
Yes however, he and Mom and Dad have not had the master sitting in their living room....signed he is not
MeatchickenHorn - January 16, 2012
awesome. just what we need over here. FSU fanboys trolling about MEj.
6th street - January 16, 2012
settle down, man
go over to their site and read their recruiting threads. they have as good of a feel for recruiting on that site as i’ve seen anywhere else including here. there’s a reason their editor is the lead recruiting guy for sbnation now (like i mentioned above.)
mattw - January 16, 2012
ok
i wasnt referring to TomahawkNation. I was referring to the goober who decided to wander over and blindly proclaim that MEj was a lock to FSU because he’s “ALL FSU!”.
6th street - January 16, 2012
Please state how I am trolling.
If you had any idea how much insider info I’ve read on him (that I can not post due to premium content) than you would be as confident as me.
We will all find out soon enough 6th street and when that day comes don’t act like a girl about it. Take it like a man…this is recruiting after all.
Kris4153 - January 16, 2012
haha.
i guess you got me there. i cant argue with your “insider info”.
6th street - January 16, 2012
GO >>—;;;—SEMINOLES—;;;—>>
Jamie Ward - January 19, 2012
We will see,
once the closer gets in the living room. You should be worried.
40A - January 16, 2012
Guess we will see
How much weight Manny’s honesty carries with the Edwards family. Good job Manny!
Burnedsince61 - January 16, 2012
They wouldn't be here if it was a lock.
MeatchickenHorn - January 16, 2012
Jimbo vs Mack
Think I’ll take Mack. Now you can worry Noles.
Burnedsince61 - January 16, 2012
Yeah I think I would rather compete for National Championships
kcmorse - January 16, 2012
Soon enough.
FSU has done a lot better over the last 2 years since Fisher took over than the last two years of Mack’s tenure…
Kris4153 - January 16, 2012
You raise a good point there, but I believe Texas will reach the top of the Mountain before FSU
Just sayin!
kcmorse - January 16, 2012
you believe?
there it is, then.
fmnole - January 17, 2012
LOL
there’s plenty of evidence to back that up, but I wouldn’t expect you to budge at all.
40A - January 17, 2012
No way.
Jamie Ward - January 19, 2012
but Mack has a certain ring
It has a giant “1” on it I forget how he got it…..
horns1025 - January 16, 2012 via mobile
I guess I didn't know there is an established protocol
for an 18 high school kid to say that’s being recruited by multiple big time schools. Edwards hasn’t jerked anybody around & neither did Thomas Johnson. They are teanagers who have changed their minds which they have every right to do just as the schools can revoke their offers up until the kid signs. Ryan Perrilloux jerked us around. The attitude of some fans is far more ridiculous than these kids.
ole tnhorn - January 16, 2012
Hopefully it wont come up that Mack is an FSU grad
MeatchickenHorn - January 16, 2012
Mack is an FSU grad
Because Coach Royal didn’t need to go poaching.
Burnedsince61 - January 16, 2012
Alllways makes me wonder
When a Texas kid looks out of state for no obvious reason. You know, Tex vs Fla, Austin vs Talle., Big12 vs ACC, home state hero, vs just that kid from Tex.
Burnedsince61 - January 16, 2012
his dad went to fsu.
mattw - January 16, 2012
Didn't know that
Thanks, wonder what brought him to Tex., isn’t he a HS coach?
Burnedsince61 - January 16, 2012
He played for the Cowboys.
Wescott Eberts (GoBR) - January 16, 2012
Thanks GoBR
Didn’t know that either. What position, and what yrs.?
Burnedsince61 - January 16, 2012
link
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=mario+edwards+sr
6th street - January 16, 2012
Thanks 6th
Went over for the read, man I must have had one of those brain things. Started 47 games and I still can’t honestly remember him. And I can’t even blame it on drugs, but then again that was a bad streetch for me.
Burnedsince61 - January 16, 2012
Yep, I remember when he was a draft prospect, too
He was on those flashy Seminole teams with Peter Warrick, Laveranues Coles, etc., including playing in two BCS championship games (loss to Tee Martin and Tennessee 1998/1999, won over Vick and Va Tech in 1999/2000). He was actually looking like a much earlier pick after a pretty damn impressive junior year, but IIRC he slid miserably on draft day.
burntorangehorn - January 17, 2012
Peerless Price still haunts his (and our, collectively) dreams
paperjames - January 17, 2012
I believe I remember watching Peter Warrick getting leveled by the Tennessee punter in the open field, too ;)
That made me happy!
burntorangehorn - January 17, 2012
Me, not so much
Although Warrick against VT still wamrs my heart
paperjames - January 18, 2012
warms*
paperjames - January 18, 2012
Very good point! Tallahassee beats Austin hands down..FSU > texasss…and really..he would be..just that kid from texasss over here. He is just 1 kid out of many.
>>—;;;—TRIBE—;;;—>>
Jamie Ward - January 19, 2012
im sorry but this song and dance...
…is getting old for me.
vanterminatorhorn - January 16, 2012
Not to mention
The dominant school in your home state vs 3rd or 4th billing in Fla.
Burnedsince61 - January 16, 2012
sounds like you're right on top of the Florida situation.
fmnole - January 17, 2012
Haha, good point
FSU definitely isn’t 3rd or 4th in Florida right now. The program’s definitely not where it was in the 1990’s, but it’s not like UF or Miami is, and USF and UCF still carry almost mid-major connotations.
burntorangehorn - January 17, 2012
I wish him well
As long as he doesn’t go to ou. I would like to see him and M. Brown on the same D line for 2 or 3 yrs. at Texas. That could sure be fun to watch.
Burnedsince61 - January 16, 2012
Shuttlesworth and the so called Big Cigar got our hopes up
That’s why we are where we are with Edwards – not to mention DGB.
Edwards, Jr. has heard FSU all of his life – where did you expect him to go?
Snide Aside - January 16, 2012
This isn't to say
he’s putting on the Noles hat on signing day. The kid said he had a good visit. That’s pretty par for the course.
40A - January 16, 2012
J Gray has heard Tech all his life
Glad we didn’t pack it in on that one.
Horncasting - January 16, 2012
Yeah, but Gray hadn't already committed like Edwards had.
Snide Aside - January 16, 2012
And, if he was really open tpo other schools, why didn't he de-commit from FSU?
Snide Aside - January 16, 2012
Do you know for a fact, not opinion, that he's not open to other schools?
There are no rules in the recruiting game about verbal commitments / decommit. FSU did not withdraw his offer when he visited other schools so I suppose they were okay with it. Mack would not have been but those are Mack’s rules not NCAA rules. What Shuttlesworth & the Big Cigar said was likely accurate AT THAT TIME. The desires of an 18 year old are not fixed. Recruiting is a fluid situation, thankfully, or we wouldn’t have some of our “commitments”. These are not sworn testimony in a court, they’re promises from teanagers. Either we’ll get Edwards & / or DGB or we won’t irrespective of what Shuttlesworth, The Big Cigar, or anyone else says or wishes.
ole tnhorn - January 16, 2012
I'm not sure what this means
That’s like saying the earth will or won’t crash into the sun regardless what the scientists are saying. This recruiting scenario exists for every recruit and I’m confused as to why that is even relevent? Please don’t think I am calling you out for I don’t mean it to sound that way.
My point was, based on what JS and the Cosm was saying, that it APPEARED we had a really, really good chance of landing Edwards. Now it doesn’t and that is disappointing.
My opinion now is what I feared in the first place. Edwards was simply enjoying the attention and paid mini-vacations while hedging his bet with FSU. Not that I blame him for this, but UT (and other schools) have gone to extreme time and expense, in his behalf, and I hope he realizes this and acts accordingly in his appreciation.
Snide Aside - January 16, 2012
I Get it and Agree
We have ample talent on the DL. We have recruited well enough in 2011, 2012, and prolly 2013 to compete for mncs. The key is to develop the talent and get our chit together on offense. Whether we land Mario or not will not change those needs. I am sort of hoping he makes the best decision for himself, and hopefully that is with the Horns. If not – I wish him and the Noles best of luck – they got a good 1.
realmccoy - January 16, 2012 via mobile
Every kid/family treats this stuff differently
My guess is that FSU was #1 since the beginning, but a few schools, including Texas, closed the gap based on the 2011 seasons and a number of other factors and he has decided to explore those options. During that time I believe that UT really did pull even or slightly ahead of FSU.
By not decommiting he is saving his spot at FSU.
Horncasting - January 16, 2012
Don't kids
typically de-commit when they are no longer taking that school seriously at all? (see Thomas Johnson). Besides that there is no reason to decommit.
40A - January 16, 2012
Bingo
kcmorse - January 17, 2012
you Forget Tech is in Lubbock
You go there because you are settling and didn’t receive an offer from UT. FSU Ain’t Lubbock.
realmccoy - January 16, 2012 via mobile
It isn't too far off.
Tallahasse is terrible.
40A - January 17, 2012
+1 about Tallahasse
If Edwards is looking for night life – this sure ain’t the place.
Snide Aside - January 17, 2012
Tallahassee is GREAT!
Jamie Ward - January 19, 2012
And I heard Texas A&M all my life.
Both of my parents and all 4 of my siblings went/go to Texas A&M (younger brother will finish his degree in August). I proudly graduated from the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin in May 2011. A lot more can (and should) go into a student or student-athlete’s decision than “Well, Mom and Dad went there.” Not saying he won’t go to FSU in the end, but being a legacy from from makes it a lock.
mwjames - January 16, 2012
Along those same lines is a man named
Jackson Jeffcoat.
40A - January 16, 2012
far from makes it a lock*
mwjames - January 16, 2012
Props for Being Smartest in the Family!
realmccoy - January 16, 2012 via mobile
M. Edwards Jr. will choose
Whatever suits him on the morning of Feb 1. From my on experience it doesn’t matter what he has heard all his life, it’s what he wants on that morning that counts. Been there , done that , got the gray hair to show for it. When I think back on all the trials of guiding an 18 yr. kid I’m surprised I have any hair at all. Logic , common sense, and reasoning is rarely applied. Could be as simple as what color he likes on Feb 1. Most 18 yr. old boys still have alot of growing up to do, that’s what makes this process of recruiting so damn hard, and why there is so much guess work after all the homework that the coaches do.
Burnedsince61 - January 16, 2012
i was more confident with DGB anyways
Always felt we had a better shot of getting him to commit
horns1025 - January 16, 2012 via mobile
He is committed
If he was not verally committed to FSU already, I would have more optimism, but at this point, I have totally managed my expectations. He now enjoys the other verbal commits at two schools and will have to disappoint one group. His dad is updating the recruiting sites on how much he enjoyed the FSU commits. At this point, he would have to verbally decommit to the school his dad went to, and with a very active dad in the process, i think the pros for Texas are looking weaker. I haven’t heard Mom in the picture to make distance more important. The D.C. at FSU can promise to use him the same way now that his dad has the blueprint. While we can hope that Mack can pull a rabbit out of his hat, this chase is likely over
everything horns - January 17, 2012
mack weaves magic in February.... Let him do his job...
longhorn35 - January 17, 2012
MEJ is suppose to visit LSU
But I don’t know why he is bothering. QB Gunner Kiel just proved he is a major flake and de-committed from them (that’s 2 decommits and about 3 teases that didn’t happen). Now he says its ND. That kid has issues.
MEJ may be intrigued that Brockers is going to the NFL. But I think MEJ is still an FSU guy, dang it.
Wrangler86 - January 17, 2012
it was his mother
That wanted Kiel to stay closer to home. (almost) always go with momma
armsch - January 17, 2012 via iPhone app
Unless your name is Collins! :-)
Snide Aside - January 17, 2012
That was my favorite part of the UA game.
His mother looking pissed was epically awkward. You could tell Collins knew and he didn’t care at all.
40A - January 17, 2012
This comment sort of puts the Edwards thing to bed - time to move on!
Snide Aside - January 17, 2012
Yikes. Well, the Big Cigar isn't always 100%
but this isn’t too surprising.
40A - January 17, 2012
You must Login with your SB Nation account and be a member of Burnt Orange Nation to post a comment.