Cyrus Fagan to FSU: Seminoles Land 4-Star Safety Prospect

A dynamic safety can be the linchpin of a college football defense, so Florida State is thrilled to get a commitment from hard-hitting Cyrus Fagan for 2017. 

Fagan announced his commitment to the Seminoles on Sunday:

A throwback safety, Fagan is one of the best players in the 2017 recruiting class. He's a 4-star prospect, the No. 4 safety, the No. 14 player from the state of Florida and the No. 55 player overall, according to 247Sports' composite rankings. 

The role of safety has become one of the most important for a defense. Players at the position must be able to handle themselves in pass coverage and step into the box to defend the run.

Right now, Fagan excels against the run despite weighing just 170 pounds. According to the ESPN Recruiting Nation scouting report, the Florida native boasts terrific closing speed:

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Possesses excellent height and length and very good speed. Reads quickly, takes solid angles and closes fast. Aggressive in run support and can deliver a good pop. Has the smooth hips and closing burst to be effective in both man and zone coverage. Valuable contributor on special teams.

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The major knock against Fagan in the scouting report is he's too eager and aggressive to make plays, which can lead to him getting burned. Yet this is still a player who can make huge hits and recover quickly because of his ability to read and react, so the negatives can be fixed with proper coaching. 

Florida State has had no problems developing players in the secondary under head coach Jimbo Fisher. The Seminoles have sent Ronald Darby, P.J. Williams, Lamarcus Joyner, Terrence Brooks and Xavier Rhodes into the NFL since 2012. 

That helped Fagan choose the Seminoles, who he named as the front-runners for his services way back in 2015, per Wayne McGahee of Scout.com: “I’ve liked Florida State all my life. I like the way they are brothers and they teach each other to be men on the field and off.”

Fagan has all the talent to join that list and is going to a school with an excellent track record of development. 

It's not easy to find defensive playmakers capable of changing a unit on their own. Fagan has that kind of potential because of his ability to make plays against the run and pass. He's not a finished product at this point, but the ceiling will provide a huge boost to Florida State next season.