Three-star offensive tackle Michael Ionata entered his Florida State official visit this weekend committed and locked in.
He left his OV on Sunday affirmed in his decision to commit to the Seminoles back in March.
"(The visit) was great, yeah. I really enjoy my time every time I'm here," Ionata said after his visit. "Get to learn a little bit more each time, got to sit down and talk with the coaches. That's really important to me to continue to build that relationship and get ready to come up here."
Ionata is an FSU legacy, with his dad Joey Ionata playing on the offensive line for the Seminoles from 1984 through 1988. He committed to FSU while visiting during spring on March 22. His visit to FSU this weekend for his OV was his third trip to FSU this year and his fifth trip to see the Seminoles since he received a scholarship offer last June while participating in an FSU summer camp.
A three-star 2026 prospect out of Clearwater Calvary Christian Academy, the 6-foot-6, 290-pound lineman got a chance to build further bonds with his future teammates at FSU during his visit, citing a hangout with a number of current FSU offensive linemen Saturday night as a highlight of this trip.
"I definitely built on (my decision) a little bit more. I got to see more of the inside, I got to hang out with a few guys on the team and build that relationship more. It's going to be great..." Ionata said. "I got to see how the guys connect with each other. A bunch of the linemen came over and watched the UFC fights last night. It's really cool to see that bond between them and I feel like I'm going to be a part of that. That really excites me."
Ionata also got the chance to build more upon his strong relationship with FSU offensive line coach Herb Hand while on his visit.
"He's made it very clear that he's going to be that guy to develop me to play at that next level," Ionata said. "That's my goal in life, I want to play in the NFL. He's done that, he's sent a bunch of people there, he's set people up for success and he just seems like a great coach."
Ionata said Hand and he talked about his potential future position on the OL at FSU during his visit. The expectation is he'll play at one of the tackle spots but he added that he's flexible and can play anywhere.
During his visit, a clip circulated on social media of Hand showing Ionata and a few other OL visitors FSU's virtual-reality technology it uses to get its players virtual reps.
"That was really cool. That was my first time seeing that," Ionata said. "I think it's great you can still get those reps in without having to get the actual contact and wear-and-tear on your body. You still get just as good on the mental reps without having that physical side."
Ionata talked with FSU head coach Mike Norvell on the final day of his visit Sunday, saying that Norvell was similarly instilling a high level of confidence in what the FSU legacy can accomplish in Tallahassee as he follows in his father's footsteps.
"He believes in me. That's really important. He thinks I can be a guy that plays at the next level and make a big impact here," Ionata said of Norvell. "I just love hearing that. I like feeling like I'm important and a connection with the head coach."
Since committing to FSU in March, Ionata did visit Alabama, where his brother Joseph just wrapped up his freshman season on the offensive line, in April.
Ionata didn't say he was totally shutting down his recruitment and taking no more visits after his FSU OV, but he did make it sound like it would take something significant to move him off his FSU pledge at this point.
"I wouldn't say I'm done but I'm pretty set," Ionata said of his recruitment. "I love it here. Unless something drastic happens, I'm pretty set here."
He left his OV on Sunday affirmed in his decision to commit to the Seminoles back in March.
"(The visit) was great, yeah. I really enjoy my time every time I'm here," Ionata said after his visit. "Get to learn a little bit more each time, got to sit down and talk with the coaches. That's really important to me to continue to build that relationship and get ready to come up here."
Ionata is an FSU legacy, with his dad Joey Ionata playing on the offensive line for the Seminoles from 1984 through 1988. He committed to FSU while visiting during spring on March 22. His visit to FSU this weekend for his OV was his third trip to FSU this year and his fifth trip to see the Seminoles since he received a scholarship offer last June while participating in an FSU summer camp.
A three-star 2026 prospect out of Clearwater Calvary Christian Academy, the 6-foot-6, 290-pound lineman got a chance to build further bonds with his future teammates at FSU during his visit, citing a hangout with a number of current FSU offensive linemen Saturday night as a highlight of this trip.
"I definitely built on (my decision) a little bit more. I got to see more of the inside, I got to hang out with a few guys on the team and build that relationship more. It's going to be great..." Ionata said. "I got to see how the guys connect with each other. A bunch of the linemen came over and watched the UFC fights last night. It's really cool to see that bond between them and I feel like I'm going to be a part of that. That really excites me."
Ionata also got the chance to build more upon his strong relationship with FSU offensive line coach Herb Hand while on his visit.
"He's made it very clear that he's going to be that guy to develop me to play at that next level," Ionata said. "That's my goal in life, I want to play in the NFL. He's done that, he's sent a bunch of people there, he's set people up for success and he just seems like a great coach."
Ionata said Hand and he talked about his potential future position on the OL at FSU during his visit. The expectation is he'll play at one of the tackle spots but he added that he's flexible and can play anywhere.
During his visit, a clip circulated on social media of Hand showing Ionata and a few other OL visitors FSU's virtual-reality technology it uses to get its players virtual reps.
"That was really cool. That was my first time seeing that," Ionata said. "I think it's great you can still get those reps in without having to get the actual contact and wear-and-tear on your body. You still get just as good on the mental reps without having that physical side."
Ionata talked with FSU head coach Mike Norvell on the final day of his visit Sunday, saying that Norvell was similarly instilling a high level of confidence in what the FSU legacy can accomplish in Tallahassee as he follows in his father's footsteps.
"He believes in me. That's really important. He thinks I can be a guy that plays at the next level and make a big impact here," Ionata said of Norvell. "I just love hearing that. I like feeling like I'm important and a connection with the head coach."
Since committing to FSU in March, Ionata did visit Alabama, where his brother Joseph just wrapped up his freshman season on the offensive line, in April.
Ionata didn't say he was totally shutting down his recruitment and taking no more visits after his FSU OV, but he did make it sound like it would take something significant to move him off his FSU pledge at this point.
"I wouldn't say I'm done but I'm pretty set," Ionata said of his recruitment. "I love it here. Unless something drastic happens, I'm pretty set here."
