Florida State’s 2018 class is now in the top 15, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings, after the addition of 4-star wide receiver Warren Thompson on Wednesday. Head coach Willie Taggart continues to revive a class that looked dead in the water when he took over in December.
We’re about midway through our series breaking down what current Florida State commitments will bring to the table and how they fit the roster for the Seminoles. We continue with the final two FSU commitments who were already on board when Taggart took the job.
They are wide receiver D’Marcus Adams and defensive end Chaz Neal. Both players are 3-star prospects, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings:
D’Marcus Adams, WR
A 3-star prospect from Daytona Beach, D’Marcus Adams is listed at 6-foot-0 and 170 pounds. Adams is ranked by the Composite as the No. 417 overall prospect nationally and in the top 75 both in Florida and at his position. Adams committed to FSU on June 14.
What he brings: D’Marcus Adams’ film looks a little better than his 3-star rating. Adams has the look of a quarterback’s best friend as he’s exceptional when it comes to awareness, adjusting and high-pointing the football. Not overly big at 6-0, Adams has great leaping ability and really good hands.
Although he has a little wiggle to him, Adams’ game has been primarily as a vertical threat. With that said, he has work to do to become a complete receiver, but plays with an edge and is willing to block. At 170 pounds, it’s not a surprise that Adams isn’t overly physical on the outside.
How he fits: Given FSU’s recurring depth issues at wide receiver, Adams could see the field right away, but that’s not a guarantee. The addition of Warren Thompson on Wednesday crowds a position that returns leading receiver Nyqwan Murray. Juniors-to-be Keith Gavin and George Campbell have failed to make a big impact for the Seminoles to this point, but are immensely talented and will likely take on bigger roles next season. The same is true of soon-to-be sophomore D.J. Matthews, who is ideal for the slot.
That leaves Adams to compete for reps with Thompson and redshirt freshman Tamorrion Terry. Da’Vante Phillips and Malique Jackson are two veteran receivers who could return in 2018, but that’s unlikely. When all is considered, it’s possible that Adams could be redshirted next season, but either way, expect his role to be minimal. By 2019, Adams should be a contributor in some capacity. With virtually everyone on the current roster at the position gone by 2020, Adams should be an important piece to the offense by then.
Chaz Neal, DE
A 6-7, 255-pound prospect out of Wesley Chapel, Chaz Neal may be one of the more interesting commitments for the Seminoles. Neal, listed as a 3-star, is ranked just outside the top 1,200 nationally and is the lowest ranked commitment for FSU. Neal is the No. 65 weakside defensive end, per the Composite, and the 182nd best player from the state of Florida.
What he brings: Neal does a decent job setting the edge on the outside and does a good job using his length to make plays. On top of that, Neal is a decent athlete, but has a long way to go to become a competent end at the Power 5 level.
Despite his decent athleticism, Neal is slow off the football, which doesn’t project well for an undersized defensive end. Neal also lacks ideal strength and often goes too high at 6-7, which keeps him from being a factor in the play. Anyone with his height and athleticism has promise, but for the time being, Neal is a very raw prospect.
How he fits: At this point, it would be a surprise to see Neal be anything other than a redshirted player in 2018. Neal has a long way to go from a fundamental and a football IQ standpoint before he’s a major factor for the Seminoles.
If Neal is willing to put the work in and stick it out for the duration of his time in Tallahassee, he could be a contributor on defense late in his career — maybe 2021 or 2022. Another area where it might be possible for Neal to make an impact would be on special teams in punt or kickoff coverage. As far as a starting defensive end goes, that may never come to fruition for Neal, but contributing is a real possibility.
Mike Ferguson is the editor of The Daily Nole. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson
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