2011 DL loves Florida State

News - Football Recruiting

Thursday, 13 August 2009 16:58

Defensive end Derrick Mitchell (Jacksonville, Fla./First Coast) is an intriguing prospect for the Class of 2011. The 6-foot-5, 250-pounder does not have any verbal offers as of yet, but is getting attention from a number of programs.

Mitchell camped at Florida State during the summer and came away impressed with the Seminoles, a program with which he has a family connection.

"I love Florida State,” he said. “My dad graduated from there in 1989 anda he played basketball so he knows a lot of the coaches up there so he would love for me to go there and I would too,” he said. “I talk to (FSU defensive line coach Odell Haggins) from FSU a lot and he talks to me like I'm a real Seminole which is great. They have a great academic program as well which is important to me.

“Florida State would be one of my top schools.”

He also camped at Florida and added that he felt that he dominated at both camps.

UCLA, Tennessee, Ohio State, Notre Dame, and Iowa also are showing him interest, along with South Carolina.

Mitchell recently made the move from Wolfson High to First Coast, a high school the Seminoles have had great success recruiting in recent years.

"I recently transferred to First Coast because they are more of a football school and they can help me get my name out there like it needs to be" he said.

In March, Mitchell participated in the Jacksonville Under Armour Combine where he measured a shade less than 6-foot-5 and came in at 260 pounds. He also put up some impressive testing numbers, running a 4.56 second pro shuttle and a 7.91 L-cone. Those two events are meant to test lateral movement and quickness in a prospect.

Florida State already has issued a verbal offer to one First Coast star for 2011, running back Eric Beverly. Defensive lineman Tavaris Barnes is committed to the Noles for the 2010 class and Jermaine Thomas, Nigel Carr and Avis Commack were part of the 2008 haul.

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