Newly crowned State Champion Edwin Joseph recaps Official Visit to Florida State
Florida State is targeting multiple defensive backs as pieces to end off a 2023 recruiting class that is trending in the right direction. Following two unofficial visits to Tallahassee in October, three-star athlete Edwin Joseph returned to campus over the weekend for his official.
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Fresh off a victory in the State Championship, Joseph loved 'every single moment' of his 48 hours around the Seminoles' coaching staff and players. That has FSU in a good spot with the Early Signing Period less than two weeks away.
"I loved it. I've been here a couple times, this probably was the best time because it was an official visit," Joseph said to NoleGameday's Dustin Lewis. "Definitely every day since I've been here Thursday night, I've loved every single moment of it. The biggest part was going to coach Mike Norvell's house, that was the best part. I just felt like family, coming in. That just led to a great visit."
Joseph was joined on the trip by his parents and other family members. He says that they really enjoyed the visit.
"Definitely was great. They loved it," Joseph said. "They loved this visit out of everybody the most. They loved just how much everybody's been connected throughout this whole coaching staff, teammates, stuff like that."
Following three visits to Florida State this fall, Joseph has been impressed by how closely connected everyone within the program is. That's one reason he thinks the Seminoles played so well down the stretch.
"Really how connected it is. Everybody's like a family - the coaching staff, teammates, everything about it is just connected," Joseph said. "I've been here when you guys played Clemson and they had that BYE week after. Ever since then everybody's just improving, you just see a difference since that week."
The Florida native has been building a relationship with defensive backs coach Marcus Woodson since picking up an offer from FSU in September. Woodson has made it clear he wants to coach Joseph at the next level.
"It's really been great, [our] connection just grew every day since he offered me too. We just get closer and closer," Joseph said. "It really just shows the connection we have. He really just said how he's going to use me, definitely how much he really wants to coach me. He showed me some tips on how to play DB so it really just shows how he works hard."
One of his favorite parts of the weekend was having conversations with the coaching staff over dinner.
"All the dinners. We ate a lot but the coaching staff was just making sure they're all talking to everybody. It was like a rotation," Joseph said. "That was one of the biggest things, eating with them, talking with them. Having conversations just not about football but about life after football."
The Chaminade-Madonna High School product came out on top in a cooking competition with his partner, Rueben Bain, over the other visitors. That was another highlight of the trip.
"I won the competition - me and Rueben Bain," Joseph said. "We cooked chicken alfredo pasta. That was probably the best part cause we won. But if I didn't win I probably wouldn't call it the best part."
Prior to departing from Florida State on Sunday, Joseph returned to campus to meet with head coach Mike Norvell in his office.
"Really just talking about how he wants to coach me. I really believe him at his word when he says how the program is really going up," Joseph said. "I love everything that he said and I just feel like our bond has improved every day since he offered me, especially this visit."
With Early Signing Day on the horizon, Joseph says that he's done taking visits and has an idea of where he'll be going. The Seminoles remain near the top of his list and will send a few coaches for an in-home visit later this week.
"They've been at the top, they're staying at the top. If anything, this pushed them further," Joseph said. "I loved everything about the visit, probably one of my best visits out of all my official visits. That really just shows how much FSU loves me and how much I love them."
The 6-foot, 178-pound defensive back is regarded as the No. 457 overall prospect, the No. 30 ATH, and the No. 86 recruit in the state of Florida in the 2023 class according to 247Sports.
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