On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine: Florida State trending for 4-star CB Cai Bates

Florida State is trending in the recruitment of Orlando (Fla.) Edgewater four-star cornerback Cai Bates, according to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine.

FSU leads the way with a 88.3% chance to receive Bates’ pledge after he decommitted from LSU just days after taking a visit to Tallahassee.

Seminoles recruiting insider Michael Langston logged an expert prediction with a 55% confidence level that Bates will pick Florida State. Matt LaSerre entered the same pick with a 60% confidence level. Bates visited Florida State on November 11.

“Florida State is still in it,” Bates told On3 about the visit shortly before decommitting from the Tigers. “The atmosphere was great and the fans were electric. I spent time with Coach Patrick Surtain, Coach David Johnson and Coach Kewain Ratliff and the environment was exciting.”

Bates was in town for Florida State’s rivalry win over Miami — an important recruiting weekend for the ‘Noles.

“I got to talk with other recruits (Cam Coleman and Wardell Mack), in my class and we talked about the program. Coach Norvell is building something that’ll continue to be a force in college football for years to come.”

Bates is the nation’s No. 101 overall prospect in the 2024 cycle according to the On3 Industry Ranking — a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He is the cycle’s No. 11 cornerback and No. 16 recruit from Florida.

He currently holds an On3 NIL Valuation of $100,000. The On3 NIL Valuation is the industry’s leading index that sets high school and college athletes’ projected annual value (PAV). The NIL valuation does not act as a tracker of the value of NIL deals an athlete has completed to date. It rather signifies an athlete’s value at a certain moment in time.

Florida State continues to push for LJ McCray

On3 Director of Recruiting Chad Simmons told Josh Newberg on The Inside Scoop football recruiting show that Florida State continues to maintain a relationship with Daytona Beach (Fla.) Mainland five-star defensive lineman LJ McCray and that the Seminoles’ on-field success is something of which McCray has taken notice.

“Yeah, LJ is a fun one to cover, man. He pushes this visit to go with his teammate, Zay Mincey — ‘Hey I’m just here with him,’ — stuff like that. But look, there’s been communication between McCray and the Florida State coaching staff since he committed to the University of Florida,” Simmons said. “Look, there was a lot of buzz four, five, six days out around Florida State before McCray made his announcement. It came down to Florida State and Florida, Auburn was very much in this as well.

“I think Florida has to be a little leery of Florida State,” Simmons added. “Him going back, I’m hearing there’s a chance he goes at least one more time between now and the early signing period. He’s been there many times, he has some connections in that Tallahassee area as well. And the way they’re playing on the field, you can’t deny what FSU is doing — 10-0 under Mike Norvell, in the College Football Playoff as we stand today. He’s taken notice of that. FSU has not given up, they’re not waving the white flag. Florida State still is very much in this race.”