Freshman Spotlight: Stage 'not too big' for Florida State WR Vandrevius Jacobs

According to all reports, Saturday was another impressive day for Florida State freshman wide receiver Vandrevius Jacobs.

He hauled in one touchdown during the Seminoles’ first spring scrimmage and had another productive day overall. And for the FSU coaching staff, it likely is one more sign that the early enrollee, who should still be in high school right now, might be able to help Florida State on Saturdays this fall.

“Dre made some big plays,” head coach Mike Norvell said after the scrimmage. “Scored a touchdown, had some explosives that showed up. Still some things that he’s got to continue to improve upon, but it’s definitely not too big for him. I love just his playmaking ability, the way he competes. …

“He’s what we thought we were getting. We thought we were getting one of the best receivers in the country, and I think he’s gonna have a chance to be a really special player as his career progresses.”

Jacobs, who hails from Fort Pierce but finished his decorated high school career at Vero Beach, was rated a four-star talent, the 35th-best overall prospect in Florida and the 25th-best receiver in the nation, according to On3.

He was offered by Florida State during the summer before his junior season when the staff took notice of him at a Seminoles camp. A few weeks later, he took an unofficial visit to FSU and committed in June 2021.

In his final two years of high school, Jacobs totaled 149 receptions for 2,320 yards and 31 touchdowns. And though he started attracting interest from more and more schools, his loyalty to Florida State never wavered.

“They were with me when I wasn’t even really highly recruited,” Jacobs said when he spoke with Florida State media in January. “That was probably one of my first big offers. … The trust that they had in me. They believed in me to progress and keep getting better. And I just owed them. I feel like I owed them my loyalty. And I’m just thankful that they gave me the chance when they did.”

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The freshman is currently listed at 6-foot and 175 pounds, and he has said he hopes to play around 180.

While Saturday was his first opportunity to perform inside Doak Campbell Stadium, Jacobs was impressive throughout Florida State’s first five sessions on the practice fields as well. Here is a look back at some of his highlights from those practices.

Standing out in practice

Day 1: Jacobs made his presence known in the very first practice, when he used his speed to take advantage of a secondary bust and connect with redshirt freshman quarterback A.J. Duffy in 11-on-11 for a 65-yard touchdown. He also made an impressive catch on a tight-window throw over the middle from freshman QB Brock Glenn, and another when redshirt junior Tate Rodemaker hit him in stride.

The staff took notice of Jacobs’ efforts on Day 1.

“He plays fast,” Norvell said after that practice. “You see the speed, you see the athleticism. Obviously, the play-making ability.”

Day 2: Jacobs had another solid performance and began to establish a friendly rivalry that Seminole fans might hear about for years to come — frequent clashes with early enrollee defensive back Quindarrius Jones. On one play, Jacobs and Jones went stride-for-stride down the sideline tracking a jump ball; both made a play for the football, but it ultimately resulted in an incompletion, a win for Jones.

Day 3: Full pads made their first appearance at that Friday practice. There were no notable big plays for Jacobs, as it was overall a solid showing from the defense during team drills. However, he looked just as fluid and athletic in his routes while in pads.

Day 4: The Seminoles returned from spring break, and Jacobs came ready to work. He proved to be one of the top performing receivers of the day. He won two of three one-on-ones against veteran Virginia transfer Fentrell Cypress for big gains, and he hauled in a total of five catches in team drills.

Day 5: Another practice where Jacobs got to showcase his advanced skill set. Early in practice, the offense was running a 7-on-7 drill where Jacobs was frequently matched up with Quindarrius Jones. Jacobs got to showcase his vision after catching one short pass and following his blocks up field. It’s hard to tell how far he would have made it in a full-contact scenario, but he looked decisive in his cuts.

Jacobs also beat redshirt senior cornerback Jarrian Jones in a one-on-one that resulted in Jacobs laying out to complete a 45-yard reception. He then popped to his feet and finished the rep, something the coaches have been emphasizing all spring.

This catch was posted to FSU Football’s social media accounts, and Jacobs had so many steps on Jones that the defensive back was not even in the frame.

👀 @VandreviusJ#NoleFamily | #KeepCLIMBing pic.twitter.com/XynBx3GkUI

— FSU Football (@FSUFootball) March 24, 2023

Then in 11-on-11, Jacobs once again showed why he is a special talent. Duffy caught a snap and immediately turned to his right and fired a ball roughly 30 yards down the right sideline. Jacobs and sophomore Azareye’h Thomas were going stride-for-stride, until Jacobs undercut Thomas and made a leaping basket catch.

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Jacobs also got more reps at punt returner. When no one was running at him, he caught every punt; however, on a couple of them, he did not have any forward momentum and appeared to need an extra step backward to gather himself.

When the gunners finally came, Jacobs did drop one punt. But this did not deter him; he got up and prepared for the next rep. The following punt was short, and Jacobs raced up into traffic and caught the punt while surrounded.

Final notes

As we close in on the midway point of spring practice, Vandrevius Jacobs clearly has the potential to see snaps this season. There might not be a ton of opportunities for a true freshman in a deep position group, but his talent is undeniable.

Overall, this is the most loaded the Seminoles have been at wide receiver in years. And a young talent like Jacobs should be exciting for Florida State fans to watch develop for years to come.

Evan DeForest is a Florida State junior and Warchant student intern.

Talk about this story with other die-hard FSU football fans on the Tribal Council.