Bobby Bowden's last years 5 star Recruiting
2000 - 5 5 stars
2001 - 5 5 stars + #1 class
2002 - 6 5 stars + #2 class
2003 - 2 5 stars
2004 - 2 5 stars + #1 class
2005 - 3 5 stars + #1 class
>>>>>>
Every 247Sports (not Composite) 5
FSU Commit since Rankings began in 2010
2023
WR Hykeem Williams
2020
CB Demorie Tate
2017
RB Cam Akers
WDE Joshua Kaindoh
DT Marvin Wilson
2016
CB Levonta Taylor
OT Landon Dickerson
WDE Brian Burns
2015
S Derwin James
WDE Josh Sweat
CB Tarvarus McFadden
2014
RB Dalvin Cook
WR Travis Rudolph
2013
OLB Matthew Thomas
2012
SDE Mario Edwards
DT Eddie Goldman
CB Ronald Darby
2011
DT Timmy Jernigan
S Karlos Williams
TE Nick O’Leary
2010
ATH Lamarcus Joyner
Every 247Sports (not Composite) 5⭐️ FSU Commit since Rankings began in 2010
— Clay Fink (@clay_fink) July 5, 2025
2023
WR Hykeem Williams
2020
CB Demorie Tate
2017
RB Cam Akers
WDE Joshua Kaindoh
DT Marvin Wilson
2016
CB Levonta Taylor
OT Landon Dickerson
WDE Brian Burns
2015
S Derwin James
WDE Josh Sweat
CB… pic.twitter.com/Mo94tEdcjp
"Composite rankings below from Bobby’s last year to Willie. Granted it’s not quite dynasty level recruiting, but it met a standard that we had achieved for the majority of 25 years prior. Norvell until this cycle has not been recruiting to that standard, and even now it still not quite there.
2018 #11 - Willie’s first year
Jimbo era..
2017 #6
2016 #3
2015 #3
2014 #4
2013 #11
2012 #4
2011 #2
2010 #8
2009 #11 - Bobby’s last year
It’s pretty clear having a top 10 class is an FSU standard. Heck really top 5. Until Willie took us off the rails, Covid, Norvell, snub etc have clearly changed that. mid 80’s to 2018 (well over 3 decades) is more than enough time to determine what a “standard” is. Jeff’s standard for FSU is way more in line with history."
Since 2002 The ACC has never had 3 teams in the Top 10 of the Rivals Team Rankings. Would be great to see it happen in 2018 w/ Miami, Clemson and FSU. Clemson has a numbers limitation so that might hold them back but I like seeing the ACC making moves..
2004 FSU #3
2005 FSU #2
2006 FSU #3
2008 FSU #9
2009 FSU #7
2010 FSU #10
2011 FSU #2
2012 FSU #6
2013 FSU #10
2014 FSU #4
2015 FSU #3
2016 FSU #2
'all time' recruiting rankings (2002) (update)
Average recruiting ranking, 2002-2018
| Overall | Team | Current conference | Average ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | Team | Current conference | Average ranking |
| 1 | USC | Pac-12 | 4.8 |
| 2 | Georgia | SEC | 6.8 |
| 3 | Florida State | ACC | 7.1 |
| 4 | Florida | SEC | 7.7 |
| 5 | LSU | SEC | 7.8 |
| 6 | Texas | Big 12 | 8.5 |
| 7 | Ohio State | Big Ten | 10.2 |
| 8 | Alabama | SEC | 10.2 |
| 9 | Oklahoma | Big 12 | 10.4 |
| 10 | Michigan | Big Ten | 12.6 |
| 11 | Miami | ACC | 12.8 |
| 12 | Notre Dame | Independent | 13.6 |
| 13 | Tennessee | SEC | 13.7 |
| 14 | Auburn | SEC | 13.8 |
| 15 | Texas A&M | SEC | 17.5 |
| Class | Composite Rank | 247 | ESPN | RIvals | TOM LEMMING | ALLAN WALLACE (Super Prep) | MAX EMFINGER | Blue-Chip Rate | Top 200 Rate | 5 Star Rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 18 | Willie | 18 | 22 | 18 | 42.86% | 19.05% | 0.00% | |||
| 2018 | 11 | Willie | 11 | 11 | 10 | 61.90% | 33.33% | 0.00% | |||
| 2017 | 6 | Jimbo | 6 | 4 | 5 | 52.17% | 47.83% | 17.39% | |||
| 2016 | 3 | Jimbo | 3 | 1 | 2 | 69.57% | 52.17% | 4.35% | |||
| 2015 | 3 | Jimbo | 3 | 2 | 3 | 70.00% | 50.00% | 20.00% | |||
| 2014 | 4 | Jimbo | 4 | 3 | 4 | 55.17% | 37.93% | 6.90% | |||
| 2013 | 11 | Jimbo | 11 | 9 | 10 | 50.00% | 31.82% | 9.09% | |||
| 2012 | 4 | Jimbo | 4 | 2 | 6 | 77.78% | 55.56% | 33.33% | |||
| 2011 | 2 | Jimbo | 2 | 1 | 2 | 57.14% | 42.86% | 14.29% | |||
| 2010 | 8 | Jimbo | 8 | 6 | 10 | 40.91% | 31.82% | 13.64% | |||
| 2009 | 11 | Bobby | 11 | 8 | 7 | 57.89% | 42.11% | 10.53% | |||
| 2008 | 12 | Bobby | 12 | 12 | 9 | 44.83% | 17.24% | 6.90% | |||
| 2007 | 20 | Bobby | 20 | 25 | 21 | 35.00% | 20.00% | 0.00% | |||
| 2006 | 4 | Bobby | 4 | 6 | 3 | 50.00% | 33.33% | 10.00% | |||
| 2005 | 2 | Bobby | 2 | 2 | 60.87% | 56.52% | 13.04% | ||||
| 2004 | 1 | Bobby | 1 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 60.00% | 56.00% | 8.00% | |
| 2003 | 15 | Bobby | 15 | 21 | 16 | 9 | 37.50% | 31.25% | 12.50% | ||
| 2002 | 2 | Bobby | 2 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 73.91% | 52.17% | 26.09% | ||
| 2001 | 1 | Bobby | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 45.45% | |
| 2000 | 3 | Bobby | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 42.86% | 42.86% | 23.81% | ||
| Overall | 7.05 | 57.02% | 42.69% | 13.76% | |||||||
| Willie | 14.5 | 52.38% | 26.19% | 0.00% | |||||||
| Jimbo | 5.125 | 59.09% | 43.75% | 14.87% | |||||||
| Bobby | 7.1 | 56.29% | 45.15% | 15.63% |
Beginning on Friday, we will unveil the five best recruiting class in Florida State history. But in the meantime, here's a brief look at some other all-time classes who just missed the cut.
2012: This one will always be a special class in Florida State history -- primarily because it's the class that featured a certain two-sport star from Hueytown, Ala. By himself, Jameis Winston (assuming he'll have his jersey retired) accounted for 31 points. The class finished with 88 combined. Just on the outside of the Top 5.
And while Winston is obviously the headliner of this group, there were several other big-time players on the list: Menelik Watson, Ronald Darby, Eddie Goldman, P.J. Williams and Mario Edwards, for instance. It also happened to feature arguably the best kicker in college football history in Roberto Aguayo. So even though it didn't quite make the Top 5, it had plenty of star power and a number of contributors on the 2013 national championship team.
1977: Looking back some 42 years later, it's impossible to overstate how important this recruiting class was to the history of Florida State Football. It was Bobby Bowden's first full haul as the FSU head coach, and boy did he make it count. He signed seven players who would go on to be elected to the Florida State Hall of Fame -- Monk Bonasorte, Bobby Butler, Bill Capece, Reggie Herring, Ken Lanier, Paul Piurowski and Ron Simmons.
Butler was Bowden's first first-round pick, and Simmons was his first superstar. The signing of Simmons, who was one of the top high school players in the country out of Warner Robins, Ga., was a sign that Bowden might do some pretty special things in Tallahassee.
That class, which scored an impressive 85 points in our scoring system, helped lead the Seminoles to an 11-0 regular season in 1979 and a 10-1 mark the following year. Both of those campaigns also ended with games against Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl, helping make Florida State a national brand under Bowden and setting the foundation for the dynasty run that was to follow.
1995: Like the '85 class, this group finished with exactly 85 points. It had a number of enormous names, most notably Peter Warrick and NFL Hall-of-Famer Walter Jones. Corey Simon was in that class, as was Ron Dugans, Jerry Johnson and a Super Bowl MVP in Dexter Jackson.
There was another name, too. It will go down as one of the great "what-ifs" in college football history, but Randy Moss was only at Florida State for a redshirt season in 1995 and was dismissed from the team before the '96 season. If Moss had been allowed to stay on Bobby Bowden's squad, that would have given the 1995 class two future NFL Hall-of-Famers and might have made it one of the top two classes in Florida State history.
As it is, it has to settle for being very, very, very good. But just on the outside of the Top 5.
2000: Ironically, the two classes that were the genesis of this idea in the first place didn't make the Top 5 when the points were tallied. But like the 1995 class, the 2000 one had some serious NFL talent as well.
It finished with 72 total points.
Johnson was one of the headliners, along with fellow first-round picks Javon Walker and Alex Barron. Kendyll Pope, Michael Boulware, Greg Jones and Bryant McFadden all had standout careers at Florida State before being drafted as well. The Seminoles also had two quarterbacks in this class -- Chris Rix and Fabian Walker. Rix started for most of his four years but had a checkered career in Tallahassee, and Walker finished his college days winning a national title at Valdosta State. If one of those two had become an All-American or a first-round draft pick or both, then this class might have had a real shot at cracking the Top 5.
1986: This class finished with 65 points, so it wasn't exactly close to being one of the Top 5 in Florida State history. But the names, especially for older fans, will always hold a special place in FSU lore.
The entire Fab Four -- receivers Lawrence Dawsey, Terry Anthony, Ronald Lewis and Bruce LaSane -- came from this class. As did Dexter Carter and LeRoy Butler. This class, like the 1985 one, played an enormous role in starting the dynasty. That shouldn't be overlooked, even if it didn't feature quite the NFL talent that later classes produced.
The concern for Willard and Charlie Ward Sr., during the recruitment of their supremely talented son was whether he would get a legitimate chance to play quarterback in college.
Charlie Jr. was a star QB at Central High School in Thomasville, Ga., and had proven himself to be a terrific passer, but he was so gifted as a runner that the parents were rightly concerned that he would be asked to switch positions once he got to college.
Bobby Bowden promised the Ward family that he was indeed recruiting their son as a quarterback. He also told them he would have no problem with him trying out for the Seminoles' basketball team as well.
And boy did that work out for everyone involved.
A few years later, Ward would lead the basketball team to an Elite 8 run as the starting point guard and then win the school's first Heisman Trophy eight months later.
While he wasn't the only great player in Florida State's 1989 signing class, Ward's decision to trust Bowden is a large reason why that group finished all the way up at No. 5 in our rankings for the greatest classes in Florida State history.
Just to get you caught up: We broke down each class by assigning point values to certain criteria.
A player got two points for being a starter or major contributor, three points for being an NFL draft pick, four points for being on a reputable All-America team, five points for being an NFL first-round draft pick, six points for being a consensus or unanimous All-American, seven points for winning a national award, eight points for winning the Heisman and 10 points for having his jersey retired.
Amazingly, in the case of the 1989 class, Charlie Ward wasn't even the highest scorer.
Because he wasn't drafted in the NFL (that other sport worked out pretty well for him), Ward finished with 26 points on our scale. Cornerback Terrell Buckley finished with 30. Those two combined for 56 of the class' 97 total points. And while it's fair to argue that the 1989 class was top heavy, man, did it have an impressive top.
Buckley and Ward turned out to be two of the best players in college football history.
Buckley came to Florida State from Pascagoula, Miss., and immediately became one of the most electrifying punt returners in the country. But he was also a sensational defensive back, who intercepted 12 passes in 1991 on his way to winning the Jim Thorpe Award.
Buckley then was drafted with the No. 5 pick of the first round by the Green Bay Packers in 1992 and enjoyed a long career in the NFL.
Buckley still holds FSU's records for most interceptions in a season and a career, and he's also the NCAA record holder for most interception return yards in a career. Ward and Buckley alone are enough to make this an all-time class. But there were other big-time players who came in with them and helped turn FSU's football program into a dynasty.
10. 2006
9. 1999
With a roster loaded on upperclassmen heading into a season with a team that would start the season ranked No. 1, FSU only signed 13 players in their 1999 recruiting class.
What they lacked in quantity, Bowden and his staff made up for in quality with several stars emerging from the small group.
After winning the prestigious Mr. Football award in Florida as a prep quarterback from Pahokee, Anquan Boldin made the transition into a game-breaking wide receiver during his stay in Tallahassee.
Standout defensive tackle Darnell Dockett was plucked away from Maryland, and found his way into the NFL after starring for the Seminoles.
Nick Maddox was the consensus top running back recruit in the nation, and while he did not live up to his hype, he still managed to have a productive career as a Seminole.
8. 2002
7. 2000
6. 1997
After six years spent playing minor-league baseball in the Toronto Blue Jays farm system, Chris Weinke re-signed with FSU as a 25-year old freshman quarterback.
Kicker Sebastian Janikowski, defensive end Jamal Reynolds and safety Derrick Gibson were all first-round draft choices that emerged from a loaded class on both sides of the ball.
Tailback Travis Minor, who hailed from the same high school (Catholic High in Baton Rouge, La.) as former Seminoles star Warrick Dunn, chose to follow in Dunn’s footsteps after standout prep career that culminated with him being named USA Today’s Offensive Player of the Year.
5. 1995
Led by the consensus top quarterback recruit in the nation, Dan Kendra, FSU’s 1995 recruiting class was heavy on linemen, defensive backs and receivers.
Walter Jones, a left tackle picked up from the JUCO ranks, would go on to leave FSU after just one season and now is considered a first-ballot Hall of Fame candidate.
Of the six wideouts brought in by Bowden, Peter Warrick would go on to become a two-time consensus All-American and the key cog during FSU’s 1999 undefeated national championship team.
4. 1989
This class was led by eventual Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Charlie Ward, who would go on to lead the ‘Noles to the 1993 National Championship.
A trio of wide receivers—Matt Frier, Kevin Knox and Shannon Baker—would go on to help Ward ignite the ‘Noles fast break offensive attack.
A standout class of defensive back class was led by eventual Jim Thorpe Award winner Terrell Buckley, who also doubled as an electric return man.
3. 1990
In what may be the answer to a trivia question, this is the original class that 2000 Heisman Trophy winner Chris Weinke was a part of.
This class featured a number of standouts and future pros on both sides of the ball, but its headliner was linebacker Marvin Jones, one of the finest defenders in school history.
Fullback William Floyd, running back Sean Jackson and wide receiver Kez McCorvey anchored a class loaded with offensive skill talent.
Meanwhile, a trio of defensive backs—Clifton Abraham, Corey Fuller and Corey Sawyer—continued the tradition set by predecessors Deion Sanders, Terrell Buckley and LeRoy Butler.
2. 1985
The Seminoles brought in a pair of quarterbacks in Chip Ferguson and Peter Tom Willis—who would eventually lead the Seminoles to a 32-4 record from 1987-89—which coincidentally jumpstarted the ‘Noles unprecedented streak of Top 5 finishes.
The offense was also boosted by running back Sammie Smith, who would eventually turn out to be a first round NFL draft choice.
Bobby Bowden brought in linebacker Odell Haggins, who would turn into a standout defensive lineman (he is currently the defensive line coach at FSU).
The headliner of the class turned out to be the greatest athlete to ever wear the garnet and gold—a defensive back by the name of Deion Sanders.
1. 1993
The Seminoles were loaded for a title run as the nation’s preseason No.1 team, but they likely could not have won a championship without some help from the one of the greatest recruiting classes in recent memory.
Bobby Bowden brought in several stars, but it was the less-than-heralded tailback Warrick Dunn who would make the biggest impact as a freshman and go on to become the best running back in school history.
Receivers Andre Cooper and E.G. Green left their marks all over the Seminole record books and converted defensive end Tra Thomas turned into an elite offensive tackle.
On defense, linebacker Sam Cowart and converted defensive ends Peter Boulware and Reinard Wilson were the backbone of the ‘Noles dominant defenses in the mid-90’s.
