Florida State surging to land 4-star OT Manasse Itete

Modesto (Calif.) Central Catholic four-star offensive tackle Manasse Itete announced his decommitment from USC Friday morning. Itete had been committed to the Trojans since June 5.

A new school has quickly emerged as the favorite for Itete in his recruitment. That school is Florida State.

Following recent industry updates, the Seminoles now sit with a 63.6% chance to pull Itete away from his home state according to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM). On3 National Host and Producer Josh Newberg logged an expert prediction for the Seminoles to land Itete with a confidence level of 90%.

The 6-foot-4.5, 290-pounder has only been to Tallahassee once but that one visit was all he needed to include the Seminoles in his original top five. He may only have been there once, but Florida State offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Alex Atkins has remained a constant in Itete’s recruitment.

“Coach Atkins been there since day one and we’ve always had a great relationship,” Itete told On3’s Chad Simmons when he announced his top schools. “I love the school and how they take care of their players. When I was there for the visit, it wasn’t flashy, but it was real. The coaches told the truth, I had a good feeling and I still feel good about Florida State.

“Coach Atkins is a great guy. I also like how coach Mike Norvell cares for his players.”

Itete is the No. 354 overall prospect and No. 24 offensive tackle in the 2024 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He is also the No. 31 player in California.

On3 rates Itete significantly higher than other recruiting services, according to the Industry Comparison. Per the 2024 On300, Itete is the No. 206 overall prospect in the country, the No. 19 offensive tackle and No. 16 player in California.

How Florida State’s class currently stands

The addition from Itete would be another win on the recruiting trail for Mike Norvell and the Seminoles.

Florida State currently has 17 pledges in its 2024 class. That group ranks as the No. 14 class in the country and No. 2 in the ACC.

The class is headlined by a trio of top-60 players. They are five-star tight end Landen Thomas, four-star quarterback Luke Kromenhoek and four-star running back Kam Davis.

They also already hold a pair of pledges from two offensive tackles in four-star Jonathan Daniels and three-star Tye Hylton.