It is well documented that the group of defensive tackles in the state of Florida for the 2015 recruiting class is weaker than weak. As a result, schools are being forced to go out of state to get quality players at the position.
For Florida State, that meant targeting Darvin Taylor, of Virginia, early on. Out of Chester's Thomas Dale High School, Taylor is a composite four-star recruit. He is a top-200 player nationally, and comes in at an impressive 6'2 5/8 and 304 pounds.
Taylor finally made his commitment Thursday at 1:30 ET. It is his 17th birthday, as well.
And there was little mystery as to where he'd be going, at least in the eyes of most. Taylor gushed about the Seminoles when I interviewed him in the spring, and as of July, his phone background was him in front of the Wescott Building on FSU's campus. He has made multiple visits to the campus and is very comfortable with Florida State's staff and coach Odell Haggins.
"He's like another dad to me. My dad tells me what I need to hear not what I want to hear and that's what coach Odell does too," Taylor added. "He tells me that if II were to come to FSU, I need to work hard all the time, high school, college, have a non-stop motor."
Virginia Tech and N.C. State were both also in consideration.
FSU currently has one other commitment at defensive tackle: JUCO D.J. Jones, who is considered one of, if not the top JUCO DT in the country. FSU needs two or three in the class.