By: Robert Craft

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

Recruiting at all levels is very important, but programs still need to recruit the high priority positions to recruit real game changers.

The most important game changing recruit is the quarterback, for example. And if your team does not have a great quarterback, then your team will be at a huge disadvantage no matter how many blue chips you have on the rest of the roster.

I saw an article where the “Blue Chip” ratio was given for schools and the top schools were as follows: Alabama 84%, Georgia 80%, Ohio State 79%, Clemson 67%, LSU 66%, Oklahoma 66%, Texas 66%, Florida 66%, Texas A&M 61%.

The SEC led the way with six schools, followed by the Big Ten (3), Big 12, Pac 12 and ACC with two each.

The article defined Blue Chip using the composite star ranking and four and five-star count. The article counted transfers and high school recruits.

For the first time since 2018, the Florida State Seminoles did not make the top ten in Blue-Chip Ratio. Once a recruiting juggernaut, Florida State ratio has fallen below 40%.

The Seminoles currently have 91 players on scholarship and 34 are Blue-Chips. That includes 33 guys who were four or five stars out of high school and UCF transfer McKenzie Milton.

Florida State still has more blue chip talent than most of the ACC (North Carolina State, Syracuse, Georgia Tech, Boston College, Louisville, Duke, Wake Forest, Virginia, and Virginia Tech).

FSU has recruited a lot of Blue Chips since 2018 but they haven’t lived up to their billing, that’s about the same with every other school as well.

The Seminoles haven’t had a game changer at quarterback since Jameis Winston in 2014, however that will change if McKenzie Milton can stay healthy.

Coach Mike Norvell targeted Milton for several reasons, and his in-game experience was the top of the list.

Milton was the first quarterback commit under Scott Frost and earned the starting job as a true freshman. Milton’s freshman season was a rocky road amassing a 6-7 record.

After that season, Milton and UCF blazed through their schedule, and Milton did not lose another game as quarterback for the Knights.

Milton’s play can help cover up some of the issues the offensive line may have. Milton’s quick release and pre-snap reads of the defense would be two noteworthy traits that make him a difference maker.

I expect Jordan Travis to get snaps because he’s very dynamic running the football to keep Milton off the field.

However, I’m curious to see how Coach Norvell uses his two quarterbacks to their best individual abilities. Let’s hope Norvell is creative with the talent he’s given

There’s an old football cliche that states, “IF YOU HAVE TWO QUARTERBACKS, YOU HAVE NO QUARTERBACK.”

It has been a long time since FSU’s Blue-Chip Ratio has been this low but the Seminoles have a game changer at quarterback, who goes by the name McKenzie Milton.