4-star OT Jonathan Daniels commits to Florida State: 'They treated me like family from Day 1'

Pensacola (Fla) Pine Forest four-star offensive tackle Jonathan Daniels had long kept Florida State at the top of his list.

The Seminoles’ staff, led by head coach Mike Norvell and offensive line coach Alex Atkins, have made him a priority from the beginning of his recruitment.

Georgia and Kentucky were also among his finalists, but on Thursday, Daniels gave the Seminoles a massive commitment when he announced his decision.

“From the very first time I was on campus, they made me feel like a priority,” he told On3. “I camped there, and during the camp Coach Norvell walked up and offered me. From that day, it’s been rubber to the road. I’ve felt like I was their top priority from day one.”

Official visit helped seal the deal for Jonathan Daniels

While the Bulldogs and Wildcats both made strong pitches to him, including on the official visits, he knew after his latest stop in Tallahassee that’s where he wanted to be.

“Georgia and Kentucky gave me a lot to think about,” he said. “We learned a lot about Kentucky on the official visit, and with Georgia, Coach Searles has been pretty consistent. And they had everything we were looking for on the OV. But overall, Florida State has been the most consistent throughout the whole process.

… I kind of had an idea before the official visit, but I gave everybody a legitimate chance recruiting me. But after the official visit, I knew then that I had made my decision.”

Connections with Norvell and Atkins put FSU over the top

Originally, Daniels thought he wanted to get as far away from Pensacola as possible. One of the biggest benefits to Kentucky was exactly that. But the more time he spent around Norvell and Atkins, the more he realized Florida State gave him the best chance to succeed around coaches who had been pursuing him for multiple years.

“Originally, I thought I wanted to go far away from home,” he said. “That’s why Kentucky was in the equation. Location didn’t matter, but after getting hands on with Coach Atkins and Coach Norvell, that overruled the distance.”

Those connections and the atmosphere in Tallahassee have him feeling very excited about his future — and the program’s.

“They’re family-oriented, they’re genuine people, and they care about the players on and off the field,” he said. “I think they’re going to develop me while I’m there, and Coach Atkins’ track record proves that he can produce offensive linemen.”