FSU has landed the top OL in Florida (Solomon Thomas - Raines), the top defensive end (Javion Hilson), and the top wr in Georgia (CJ Wiley). You build Championship teams up front and if FSU can continue to recruit well in the trenches we feel they will be a team that can compete for Championships. I am not one of those that feel you have to put all your trust in the coaches. That being said the results speak for themselves. 13-0 last season is hard to argue.

This Bakers Dozen will change as players commit to FSU, commit to other programs or just drop off all together. So who are the players that FSU should go after most?

1. OT Josh Petty - Fellowship Christian School- 6-5, 270: Petty would be the highest rated OT FSU has landed in over a decade. He has all the tools that you want to see in an ELITE OT prospect. He is big, long and athletic. He can pass pro very well. He does well as a run blocker. He is a complete prospect and one that could see time early on. He is a major need for FSU. Land Petty to add to Thomas and you have two future All-Americans on your roster. (FSU LEAN)

2. DE Jared Smith - Alabaster (Ala.) Thompson HS - 6-6, 235: FSU went all in on the Alabama defensive ends. They lost out to Ohio State for Zion Grady. I still believe they can get back in on his recruitment. Smith is a legit 5-star prospect. He has size and length at the DE spot. He has more upside than Jermaine Johnson and Jared Verse. Imagine what this staff could do with Smith if he decided to commit to FSU. This is going to be a tough pull but elite defensive ends are not easy to find.

3. DT Myron Charles - Port Charlotte - 6-4, 300: FSU was the lead dog in this race. After visiting Austin and Miami, this one is less certain. Some feel Texas is where he ends up. Miami feels like they made a major move with Charles. I will stick with FSU. He has the best relationship with Odell. This one will end up much tougher than it should have been. (Committed to FSU)

4. LB Tavion Wallace - Wayne County - 6-1, 215: I put a future cast in for Wallace to FSU. This is one of the most important recruitments for FSU. Wallace is a position of need. He is at the top of the board. Get Wallace in the fold and FSU linebacker spot goes from a weakness to a potential strength. (FSU LEAN)

5. DB Gregory Xavier Thomas - 6-2, 190: Listed as a CB, Thomas can play safety as well in college. He has size and length. He has decent speed. He is not the most fluid defensive back on the board and that is why we feel Thomas will end up at safety in college. This is going to come down to FSU and Clemson. (FSU LEAN)

6. RB Byron Louis - Plantation American Heritage -6-0, 200: As Pat can tell you after watching Louis in person, he is an impressive back. He has very nifty feet. He can cut on a dime. He is powerful in his lower body. He gives you a back with a nice blend of speed and quickness. Louis is a back that would do very well in FSU offense. (FSU LEAN)

7. RB Ousmane Kromah - Lee County HS - 5-11, 200: Land either Louis or Kromah and you do a great job. Land both and you hit a home run. I expect FSU to land one of the two gifted backs. Kromah is the best back in Georgia. He runs with power. He can bounce it outside and get to the edge on a defense. He displays good vision. This is a kid that you want on your team.

8. WR Kaliq Lockett - Sachse HS - 6-2, 170: FSU already pulled one shocker off with Wiley. Pull in Lockett and this is an elite WR haul. He is a special talent. Lockett has both the size and speed to make plays on offense. He can get behind a secondary with ease. He is a long shot but Lockett did visit and FSU made a positive mark.

9. WR Vernell Brown - Jones HS - 5-11, 170: This comes down to UF season imploding. You just want to stay in the race. FSU has made their mark on Brown. He is going to have a tough time saying no to the FSU coaches. While UF may get an early commit, you keep fighting till NSD. If UF goes south this season, Brown can be taken.

10 - WR Daylan McCutcheon - Lovejoy HS - 5-11, 175: Not going to lie, I have not looked at his film. That being said he is someone FSU is recruiting hard. They have a legit shot at pulling a commitment this summer. He is a slot receiver so landing CJ Wiley will have no impact on this kid’s recruitment. (FSU LEAN)

11 - LB Zaydrius Rainey-Sale - Bethel HS - 6-2, 220: Sale has received a very good offer from an NIL standpoint from FSU. If he gets the go ahead from his mom, FSU could pull him in. He is a big time backer from the west coast. The question now: Is Momma going to allow him to come all away from the west coast to play football in Tally? If she does FSU has a very good shot at landing him.

12 - LB Gavin Nix - Bradenton IMG Academy - 6-0, 225: Nix is a priority for FSU. He is also a priority for Miami. The Canes lead for Nix but FSU is in the mix. As you can see with Wallace, Sale and Nix on the board, FSU is looking to improve the LB room.

13 - S Bryce Fitzgerald: Columbus HS - 6-0, 175: Fitzgerald did not have FSU on his list. After a recent visit, Fitzgerald has the Noles up on his list. He is one of the top safety prospects in the Sunshine State. He fits the culture at FSU. Great kid and has the ability to be a very good player in FSU scheme.

With the 2023-24 college athletic season complete, we now know the final standings for this year's Learfield Director's Cup. FSU finished 12th.

Here's the FSU press release:

TALLAHASSEE – After 18 of its 20 teams advanced to the postseason, Florida State finished 12th in the 2023-24 LEARFIELD Director’s Cup standings, the program’s highest placing since the 2018-19 academic year, it was announced Wednesday.

“This was a great year for Florida State athletics,” Vice President and Director of Athletics Michael Alford said. “We have a commitment to comprehensive excellence and supporting our student-athletes at the highest level, and that is reflected in the results. Our women’s soccer team claimed another national championship to highlight seven top-10 national finishes throughout our department and 18 programs that competed in the postseason. I’m so proud of all the hard work from our student-athletes, coaches and staff, and I’m thankful for the support and alignment from President McCullough and the Board of Trustees led by Chairman Peter Collins. We are continuing to build a bright future for Florida State.”

The Seminoles scored 998.88 points, their most since scoring 1,046.25 in 2018-19, led by a national championship in women’s soccer and a runner-up finish in men’s golf. FSU’s baseball team earned third-place points for its run to the Men’s College World Series semifinal, beach volleyball placed fifth after playing into the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Tournament, and football contributed a sixth-place national finish following a campaign that featured an undefeated regular season and appearance in the Orange Bowl.

Softball and men’s tennis each scored ninth-place points by advancing to the Super Regional round of the NCAA Tournament, while women’s golf earned an 11th-place finish and women’s tennis scored in 17th place after winning its first-round NCAA Tournament match. The men’s track and field team placed 15th at the NCAA Indoor Championships and 19th at the outdoor national championship meet.

Men’s swimming earned a 21st-place finish at the NCAA Championships, and men’s cross country placed 27th at the national meet. Women’s basketball and volleyball both scored in 33rd place after being selected for their respective NCAA Tournaments. Women’s swimming and women’s indoor track and field placed 38th at the NCAA Championship meets, and women’s outdoor track and field added points with a 54th-place finish nationally.

Florida State claimed five conference championships, with women’s soccer and football both steamrolling to ACC titles behind an undefeated record. Volleyball won its first ACC title since 2012, beach volleyball won its seventh CCSA championship in the last eight years, and men’s tennis earned its first ACC crown by becoming the first team in ACC Tournament history to win four matches in four days and the first to defeat the No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 seeds in the same tournament.

Overall, 19 sports per school are counted in the final LEARFIELD Directors’ Cup standings, four of which must be women’s volleyball, women’s basketball, men’s basketball and baseball. The next 15 highest-scoring sports, regardless of gender, are used in the standings.

The LEARFIELD Directors’ Cup was developed as a joint effort between the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and USA Today. Points are awarded based on each institution’s finish in the NCAA Championships.