FSU has done an excellent job recruiting defensive backs since Patrick Surtain Sr. came on board in in 2023. Last weekend, they were making their efforts to persuade three-star Xavier Lherisse, who is currently committed to Oregon.
Lherisse got a chance to be around the Seminoles coaching staff, which went through a major revamping after their 2-10 campaign in 2024. Things went well according to the Melbourne, Florida product.
“It’s been really cool,” Lherisse told Noles247 about his visit. “Just being able to talk to the coaches. I was getting recruited by the old coaching staff, but everybody is new now. It’s cool just getting to talk to everybody, getting to know everybody, seeing how they run things.”
FSU will run a completely different scheme under new defensive coordinator Tony White. He’s implementing a 3-3-5 scheme going forward, and the Seminoles like him as a free safety spot/hybrid nickel role type of player.
“It was really cool seeing how they use five DBs on the field at all times. How they all move around and how versatile it is and how I can see myself going there playing safety, playing nickel, and if I have to move to corner, I can play that.”
Florida State first hosted Lherisse back at their Elite Camp in June of 2023. However, his last appearance on campus before this past weekend was last September when the program finally extended an offer.
Despite Lherisse’s commitment to Oregon, which he said he’s still locked in on, FSU has ramped up its efforts as of late.
“It’s starting to get like that,” Lherisse said. “They’re picking it up really heavy recently. It’s starting to get there – checking on me a couple times a week. Right around when I committed [to Oregon], they started to pick it up.”
Lherisse has an official visit on June 20 with Florida State. He’s the No. 412 overall recruit, the No. 32 safety, and the No. 59 prospect out of Florida per the 247Sports composite rankings.
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This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: FSU pushing to flip elite in-state safety commited to Oregon
Reporting by Matthew Lenix , FSU Wire / FSU Wire
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