Four-Star Defensive End Surprises With Decision To Choose Stanford Over Florida State

Decisions on the recruiting trail are continuing to be made around the country each day, especially across a crucial month of June. Florida State is gearing up to host official visitors over the next two weeks as the coaching staff looks to fill out #Tribe24 with elite talent.

On Tuesday, the Seminoles were forced to cross one of their top targets in the class off the board with top-200 prospect and four-star defensive end Dylan Stephenson announcing his commitment to Stanford. Prior to his pledge to the Cardinal, Florida State was the perceived front-runner in Stephenson's recruitment.

Stanford quickly closed on Stephenson after hosting him for an official visit earlier this month. The Cardinal are building some momentum as they've landed three commitments since Monday evening.

BREAKING: Four-Star EDGE Dylan Stephenson has Committed to Stanford!

The 6’5 240 EDGE from Miami, FL chose the Cardinal over Florida State, Auburn, & others

“This is the place that the best come to work on and off the field. Let’s get back to smelling the roses.”… pic.twitter.com/n8Hdz2YFqn
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) June 13, 2023

This is a tough loss for the Seminoles as Stephenson was a recruit that the staff had coveted for quite some time plus he was recently in Tallahassee in April. Strong relationships with head coach Mike Norvell, defensive ends coach John Papuchis, and defensive line coach Odell Haggins didn't help Florida State win out in the end.

There's no doubt that the coaching staff will continue to recruit Stephenson despite his commitment to Stanford. Their efforts have paid off in the past - just look to the last recruiting cycle after Florida State flipped four-star quarterback Brock Glenn from Ohio State in November after he pledged to the Buckeyes in the summer.

The Seminoles will turn to other options with Stephenson off the board. A few names to know include five-star Kamarion Franklin, four-star LJ McCray, four-star Booker Pickett Jr., and four-star DD Holmes.

Florida State holds the No. 9 recruiting class in the country with 11 verbal commitments. The Seminoles have yet to land an edge-rusher or any offensive linemen thus far in the recruiting cycle.

The 6-foot-4, 225-pound defensive end is regarded as the No. 158 overall prospect, the No. 13 EDGE, and the No. 26 recruit in the state of Florida in the 2024 class.

Stick with NoleGameday for more coverage of Florida State football throughout the offseason.

Follow NoleGameday on Twitter and Facebook