College Football: Defensive End Mario Edwards Commits to Florida State

Fresh off an elite 2011 recruiting class, Florida State is back at it again in 2012, having already secured a few solid pledges to its next class. One of those newest future 'Noles is Texas defensive end Mario Edwards, who is already listed as a 5-star recruit and may be the most complete defensive end in the country.

FSU secured Edwards' pledge last week, as it hosted the Lone Star State native for an unofficial visit in Tallahassee. Edwards had been rumored to have already been down to in-state Texas and FSU, where his father, Mario Sr. played in the mid '90s. As with many players alike, being on campus in Tallahassee was a big draw, and Edwards decided to pull the trigger and pledge his allegiance to the Seminole program.

What does getting the 5-star edge rusher mean for Florida State's 2012 recruiting efforts and beyond?

Who Is Mario Edwards?

Edwards is the son of Mario Edwards Sr., a former FSU alum and star through the mid-'90s. Mario Sr. then played defensive back for the Cowboys, which is why he settled in Texas long term. The younger Edwards is from Denton, Texas and is one the top overall recruits in the 2012 class. A 5-star defensive end, many feel that he is the most complete end in the country already.

He made his mark by wrecking havoc on offensive lines around Texas the past two years, flashing big-time talent and potential. As a junior he was the 4A Texas HS Defensive Player of the year, as he totaled nearly 130 tackles, with a remarkable 50 of them being for loss, and 18 sacks.

He's looking for a state championship in his senior year and is reportedly working extremely hard to prepare for his final campaign for Ryan High School.

Edwards Scouting Report

At 6'4", Edwards' weight continues to increase as I've gathered information on him since last year. Today, the consensus seems to be he is currently in the 270 range, but has the frame to be 285 by the time he leaves college. His size and frame are why I believe he will be able to play the strong side defensive end spot for FSU.

Edwards is a great athlete for such big end, as he has a very good burst at the snap, long arms to stay clean from blockers, ability to bend, strength to convert speed to power and closing ability on the QB. But as good as Edwards is as a rusher, he's even better as a run defender. He flashes the potential strength to anchor against tight ends, stop/stack at the point, shed and make a tackle while also possessing the speed and range to chase across and around the field.

He will need to add more to his pass rushing arsenal and plan in college and continue learning how to set blockers up for moves two and three snaps down the series. Edwards also may find himself as a bit of a tweener, as his weight may make him too big for defensive end, but his skill set may not allow him to be a defensive tackle.

Defensive System Fit at Florida State

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RALEIGH, NC - OCTOBER 28: Nigel Bradham #13 of the Florida State Seminoles against the North Carolina State Wolfpack during their game at Carter-Finley Stadium on October 28, 2010 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

Florida State runs a base 4-3 look, with the conventional 40 front of two ends and two defensive tackles. Yet is seems like the past few years, the Noles have aimed to add size to their end position, and Edwards certainly fits that.

Adding him will allow Mark Stoops to have an end that is as big as a tackle and who can play the run, while style manning the edge on the strong side up front. Edwards is the ideal strong side defensive end who fits the Seminoles' defensive scheme perfectly.

He also adds a dimension of a player who could allow the defense to be more exotic by kicking him inside as a sub rusher in passing situations. This would put the super quick Edwards inside on guards, where he can easily jump on top of them as a rusher and use his quickness to slip them and get to the passer.

Who Else Was in the Race?

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DALLAS - OCTOBER 02: Quarterback Garrett Gilbert #7 of the Texas Longhorns reacts during play against the Oklahoma Sooners at the Cotton Bowl on October 2, 2010 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

This was essentially a two-team race between FSU and Texas. Edwards had stated he originally planned to wait until the UA game in 2012 to announce his choice, but he felt the urge and couldn't wait any longer on his unofficial visit to FSU last week.

After missing out on Jadeveon Clowney, Edwards certainly is more than a rebound prize for the Seminole program. Texas was thick in the race, as Edwards is a Texas native. We all know Mack Brown and the Longhorns clean up big time with the top talent in the state.

Other schools may have been mentioned as a finalists, but make no mistake, it was always Texas or Florida State for Edwards.

What Does This Mean for FSU?

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ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 31: Head coach Jimbo Fisher and the Florida State Seminoles reacts after their 26-17 win over the South Carolina Gamecocks during the 2010 Chick-fil-A Bowl at Georgia Dome on December 31, 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin

This is a huge get for the 'Noles on the field and in their recruiting efforts. With their recruiting efforts, this gives them a 5-star recruit already in hand to build their 2012 recruiting class around. Edwards becomes the seventh pledge to Jimbo Fisher's squad, and second DE prospect teaming with Donte Fowler.

Chris Casher is listed as an ATH, but can also play DE, and Dalvon Stuckey will man a DT position. Mario Pender is one of the top running backs in Florida, and PJ Williams is a big-time defensive back prospect.

Getting Edwards to pledge early, along with the other talented six commits, gives FSU a great start to 2012 recruiting. Edwards has already said he is willing to help call and recruit other players in the 2012 crop to join him at FSU.