Florida State is wasting no time diving into the heart of recruiting season - and this weekend, the Seminoles are getting the first shot at one of the most sought-after defenders in the country.
Ellis McGaskin, a four-star linebacker out of Williamson High School in Mobile, Alabama, is on campus in Tallahassee for Junior Day, just days after reopening his recruitment. The former Notre Dame commit is back on the market, and FSU is making sure they’re at the front of the line.
This visit isn’t coming out of nowhere. McGaskin has been a long-standing target for the Seminoles, with this trip marking at least his seventh to Florida State. That kind of familiarity matters - especially when you're trying to make a strong impression early in a player's renewed recruitment.
The timing couldn’t be better for Mike Norvell and his staff. McGaskin is coming off a monster junior season that turned heads across the country.
He racked up 160 total tackles, 26 tackles for loss, four sacks, and an interception - the kind of production that jumps off the stat sheet and backs up the hype. And it wasn’t a one-year wonder either.
He posted 142 tackles the year before, including 13 behind the line of scrimmage. This is a player who lives in the backfield and makes plays all over the field.
Now, with his recruitment wide open again, Florida State has a real opportunity to make a move - and they’ve got the right people in place to do it. Defensive coordinator Tony White is helping guide the effort, but all eyes will be on newly promoted linebackers coach Ernie Sims. A Seminole legend in his own right, Sims was elevated to the full-time role earlier this month, and McGaskin could become one of his first big recruiting wins.
The 6-foot-1, hard-hitting linebacker is currently ranked as the No. 10 overall prospect in Alabama for the Class of 2027, according to the 247Sports composite. That’s no small feat in a state loaded with talent. And McGaskin’s offer list reads like a who's who of college football powerhouses - Alabama, Auburn, Miami, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, and Texas A&M are all in the mix.
But this weekend, it’s all about Florida State. The Seminoles have the first crack at reeling him in, and with McGaskin now fully back on the market, this visit carries serious weight. If Sims and company can make their pitch stick, FSU might just pull off one of the more significant flips of the cycle - and in the process, send a message that they’re not just competing for talent, they’re winning those battles.
McGaskin’s recruitment is heating up fast. And Florida State is right where it wants to be: in the driver’s seat.