Jimbo Fisher Looking To Gain Back the State of Florida with Recruiting

First year Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher has sent yet another powerful message that the Noles program is making a move back up the ladder.

The news that James Wilder—the top-ranked athlete in the this year’s recruiting class—has committed to Florida State has sent a big wave through the state.

Wilder, who was also heavily pursued by the Florida Gators, is a true get for Fisher's program. The star from Plant, Florida, stands 6'2", 220 lbs and has the ability and versatility to play a variety of different positions at the next level ranging from linebacker to running back.

The Wilder commitment is one of the latest highly regarded prospects to commit his services to Fisher. So far, the Florida State class includes some of the best of the best that the state of Florida has to offer. That includes kids like safety Karlos Williams (Davenport) and offensive lineman Bobby Hart (Fort Lauderdale).

The coach and his staff are bringing in talent from some of the best football areas and schools in the state. They’ve established ties with places like Plant, St. Thomas Aquinas, and some key Miami high schools. Fisher has also dipped into the states of Alabama and Georgia to pick up some highly ranked talent this year.

Wilder is the headline though. His size, strength, and speed combination is off the charts and he looks like he has the makeup to be the latest in a long line of great linebackers to step foot in Tallahassee.

The 2011 class looks like it has a chance to outdo last year’s highly rated group of signees, which ranked as one of the best in the nation. The 2010 class included potential big-time contributors like Jeff Luc, Lamarcus Joyner, and others.

So far, Jimbo is doing a great job of keeping Florida State’s strong recruiting tradition alive. He’s outworking other big schools in the state like Florida and Miami for key guys. That type of recruiting success should pay dividends for the rookie coach as his career progresses.