Top 2024 QB Jadyn Davis feeling "very highly" of Florida State
Florida State's spring game on Saturday wasn't just an opportunity for the fanbase to get its first look at the team in 2022. It was also a chance for the coaching staff to host some of the top talent in the country across multiple classes.
One of the top prospects in attendance for the exhibition was 2024 quarterback Jadyn Davis. While speaking with the media before departing, Davis detailed his day on campus.
"It was definitely great, you know, just getting a chance to see kind of a gameday atmosphere here," Davis said. "Obviously, it's not the same as a regular-season game but it was a great time. I enjoyed Nole Nation. I love everything about this place."
Throughout the spring game, Davis had his eyes on the quarterbacks. He has a previous relationship with Florida State signal-callers, AJ Duffy and Jordan Travis. Davis and Duffy worked out together in California while he met Travis on his visit to Tallahassee in late January.
"I liked the play, for sure," Davis said. "Me and AJ are pretty good friends, we met out in California at the quarterback retreat. He's a great player and then seeing Jordan spin it around. I met Jordan last time up here with Charlie Ward. So, you can't miss a chance to meet a starting quarterback, he knows the experience of playing in front of 80,000, 100,000 people. It's always great having a conversation with those guys and they're doing pretty well I think."
Outside of the quarterbacks, Davis paid close attention to the skill players and how the team was reacting on the sideline. He was impressed by the effort throughout the roster and thinks it says a lot about the coaches.
"A lot of the slot receivers, they've got a lot of speed and how they run the ball. Sometimes it seemed like they're not going down," Davis said. "I think one guy had like a 15 yard play with three dudes all over him. I think that shows that these guys want to play for coach Norvell. I think it says a lot about a team that speaks highly of a coach then goes out and shows it on the field."
One part of the visit that stood out to the Providence Day School product was his meeting with head coach Mike Norvell. The two have been speaking weekly and Davis has been able to learn much about Norvell. He says the head coach is interested in him outside of football.
"Just me and coach Norvell's talk," Davis said. "We always have great conversations, we talk pretty much every week. And then, me and coach Tokarz going back and forth, just talking ball, just talking life in general. I got the chance to bring a good bit of my family up here. It was always a great time, just having part of my whole family here. I just got to get my sister back here, when she comes back, she'll see the basketball part of things. It was pretty fun."
"It's much deeper than football with him, he's just a great human being in general honestly," Davis continued. "I'm able to see through the BS in people and coach Norvell has no BS about him. Our first conversation, I remember it like it was yesterday, he was like 'you come to a place like this, you're not going to like me every day.' and I love every piece of that. My dad's a marine. I love coach Norvell, he sees me as a face of the program one day way beyond football and way beyond the field."
Davis has been communicating with the staff at Florida State since Kenny Dillingham, now at Oregon, was the offensive coordinator/quarterback's coach. Since then, Tony Tokarz has been promoted in his place. The coaching staff didn't miss a beat and the fact that Tokarz played the position makes it easier for him to relate with Davis.
"It's been great," Davis said. "Me and coach Tokarz go back to when coach Dillingham was the coach here. Me and him have a great relationship. He's a younger guy so we relate on a lot of levels so that's my guy."
"Very blue-collar guy, a guy that worked for everything," Davis continued. "He's coached at literally every level of football you can think of and played the position as well. A lot of these coaches kind of coached offensive line then come to quarterback's. When you've got a guy that's played the position, been the helm of an offense, I think it says a lot because he knows the experience of being a quarterback. It's a very unique experience, leading an offense, commanding a huddle, and I think coach Tokarz understands that. That's why he's so relatable on so many subjects."
When it comes down to factors, Davis is considering a variety of things. He wants to play for a program that is going to give him an opportunity to shine and succeed. Education and success on the field will weigh into his decision as well.
"Definitely playing for an offensive-minded head coach," Davis said. "Playing the quarterback position, you don't want to go to a place where they just want you to manage the game. My goal, I told coach Norvell, is to be better than Tom Brady one day. A place that's going to allow me to achieve that success for the field and off the field as well. My mom is big on books, she's always been no books, no ball, so a place where I can get a great education and that has my major. Everything goes into my decision."
Being the No. 1 quarterback in the 2024 class, there have been some questions surrounding how seriously Davis is taking Florida State's pursuit. He's feeling "very highly" of the Seminoles and notes that any visit that he takes on his dad's dime is a place that's a legitimate option for him.
"I think as you keep going back to places, true colors start to come out," Davis said. "This place has always been consistent from their actions toward me and they let me know I'm a priority for them. I know any place I take this much people in my family on my dad's own dime, it's pretty serious."
The 6-foot-0, 185-pound prospect is confident in his abilities to lead an offense but he still wants to see Florida State take steps forward in 2022. The coaches see Davis as the guy to take them to the next level.
"I think, not to sound cocky or anything, with my capabilities on the field I can lead an offense to get to where they need to be," Davis said. "I definitely, definitely want to see the improvements."
"Florida State has struggled in the past at the quarterback position," Davis said. "He [Norvell] sees me as the guy to come in and get them over, I guess what you would call the hump. Just being able to spread the ball with the RPO style of play and being able to use my arm to make every throw on the field."
The next step in the process for Davis will be to release a top list over the summer. He's planning visits to five schools over the next few months and says Florida State will definitely be one of them. It's possible he looks to make a commitment following his junior season.
Stick with NoleGameday for more updates on Davis throughout his junior season.
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