Florida State Football: Biggest Recruiting Busts of the Last 10 Years

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. A black to the white, and a yin to the yang.

For every overachieving Tim Tebow, there is an underachieving Mitch Mustain.

Unfortunately for Florida State fans, we know this all too well—especially at the quarterback position. As a program that perennially garners top recruiting class honors, new Seminole recruits are met with great expectations.

Some have taken the pressure in stride and flourished like Rashad Greene this past season. Others have less-than-gracefully crumbled under the pressure—I'm looking at you Xavier Lee.

These are Florida State football's top recruiting busts of the last decade.

5. Callahan Bright

If you search the Internet for a photo of Callahan Bright in a Florida State uniform, you won't find one. That's because one of 2005's top recruits never even made it to Tallahassee.

Bright was long on talent, but oh so short on common sense as a high schooler. Rivals.com had him as the fifth best prospect in the country at one point, ahead of NFL stars like Darren McFadden and Ndamukong Suh. However, Bright was derailed by his own doings.

Bright's lackluster academic approach did not meet NCAA standards. So we'll always have to wonder about what could have been...

4. Fabian Walker

Fabian Walker's career as a Florida State Seminole was almost over before it even began. The 1999 Georgia high school player of the year was not able to make the grade academically. Seeing a trend here?

However, all was not lost.

Walker spent a year at community college before joining the Seminoles for the 2001 season. After red-shirting his freshman year, he made a few appearances during his sophomore season before getting the start against Georgia in the Sugar Bowl while Chris Rix was on suspension. However, he only played one mildly effective half before suffering an injury.

Walker later transferred down to Valdosta State, where he would win the DII national title.

3. Adrian McPherson

Adrian McPherson was the first player ever to win both Mr. Football and Mr. Basketball in the state of Florida. There was no questioning his ability as an athlete. He even went on to win Gatorade Football Player of the Year in Florida and win a state championship in American Legion.

McPherson made the jump to Florida State smoothly. He saw the field multiple times as a true freshman and was effective in the few starts he made as a sophomore. 

But that's where it ends.

McPherson's off-the-field troubles mounted, and his career was cut short by gambling allegations and an arrest for theft and forgery. Another promising player that couldn't get out of his own way.

2. Xavier Lee

The Florida high school record holder for passing yards, completions and touchdowns, Mr. Football Award winner and No. 1 dual-threat quarterback according to Rivals, Xavier Lee accomplished quite a bit in his high school career.

Florida State fans were excited to have such a phenomenal athlete joining the team. The future looked bright.

Unfortunately, Lee was never able to live up to the hype. He spent his Florida State days battling back and forth for the starting job with Drew Weatherford. While Lee showed flashes of brilliance and terrific athletic ability, he was never able to piece it together and hold down the top spot on the depth chart.

The only bright side here was that he left school early for the draft and not for prison.

1. Fred Rouse

Oh, what could have been.

You knew this was coming. Fred Rouse generally finds himself near the top of lists recounting the worst busts of all time. Florida State fans are still bitter.

Rouse was supposed to be the second-coming of Randy Moss. The 6'4", 200-pound receiver ran a 4.4 40-yard dash in high school. No one would be able to stop this guy but himself...

And stop himself he did. After failing multiple drug tests, he was kicked out of the program and transferred to UTEP. Following that, Rouse transferred down to Concordia College and also served jail time.

The ultra-talented Rouse lasted just one season at Florida State, and while he did show promise on the field, his shady extracurricular activities got him the spotlight.