
Can Florida State Reclaim the No. 1 2016 Recruiting Ranking?
You hear it all the time. A big-time commit, stressed out about the recruiting process, announces his verbal commitment and feels as if a 500-pound weight is no longer on his shoulders.
Philadelphia standout Naseir Upshur fit the description perfectly. And when the 4-star tight end announced Tuesday afternoon that he has verbally committed to Florida State, it gave him a second wind of sorts, one that allows him to focus solely on his senior year at Imhotep Institute.
"I just feel free now," Upshur said. "No more stress."
Upshur chose Florida State over Michigan. He also gave the Seminoles and head coach Jimbo Fisher their 18th pledge—13 of those 18 are ranked as at least 4-star athletes. Cornerback Levonta Taylor is the team's only 5-star pledge.
Upshur's commitment also put Florida State in a good position to retake the top spot in the 247Sports team rankings for the 2016 class. Entering Tuesday, Florida State (253.19 points) trailed Ohio State (277.05) and LSU (266.15) for the top spot.
The Seminoles are still at No. 3 after Upshur's commitment, but the team now has 260.8 points.
Sure, the rankings are solely for entertainment, strictly for bragging rights, but in a game that thrives off of competitive natures, having the top spot is something every class wants.
And it's something within reach for the Seminoles.
The recruiting process is only in September, which means there are still five months remaining for coaches to gain—and potentially lose—top-ranked recruits. Florida State has done a solid job with its class thus far, particularly despite watching 5-star tight end Isaac Nauta and 4-star wide receiver Keith Gavin reopen their recruiting in July and August, respectively.

Landing Upshur could be the first step in Florida State overtaking the top spot. A few 5-star talents would boost the ranking. The No. 1 spot could be in reach with commitments of defensive tackles Dexter Lawrence and Shavar Manuel, as well as wide receiver Nate Craig-Myers. Lawrence and Manuel are ranked the Nos. 2 and 3 defensive tackles, and Craig-Myers is ranked the No. 1 receiver nationally.
The Seminoles still have room to also land 4-star players like cornerback Trayvon Mullen, linebacker Keion Joyner and offensive lineman Landon Dickerson. While those players can help Florida State's rise, potential decommitments from Ohio State and LSU also could play a role in the Seminoles being the top-ranked team.
It's still early to determine whether the Seminoles will be ranked No. 1 when it's time for athletes to sign national letters of intent. It is, however, safe to say that the Seminoles will be in the running for the top spot deep into the recruiting season.
Upshur was a big get Tuesday. Fisher and the rest of the coaching staff are hoping the good news doesn't stop there.
Damon Sayles is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite ratings. Follow Damon on Twitter @DamonSayles.
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