4-star DB Zaquan Patterson talks Florida State, Norvell as commitment date approaches
Florida State already has one of the best defensive back classes in the 2024 recruiting cycle, and the Seminoles are hoping to add to it with four-star safety Zaquan Patterson.
Patterson announced Sunday that he has set his decision date for Aug. 26. He will decide between Florida State, Miami, Auburn, Ohio State and Michigan.
The four-star prospect from powerhouse Chaminade-Madonna in Hollywood, Fla., recently visited Florida State for the Seminoles’ elite camp in June. That was the second time he visited this offseason, and head coach Mike Norvell has made a significant impact on his recruitment.
“Coach Norvell stood out so much,” Patterson told Warchant on Sunday. “You know he’s got some of my guys out there in Edwin [Jopseh] and Conrad [Hussey], and they getting early playing time over there. So he showed that he’s a man of his word. He’s going to give you the opportunity if you’re able to and if he feels like you’re ready.”
While position coaches and regional recruiters play pivotal roles in the recruitment of top prospects, Norvell has clearly played a huge part in this one.
When asked what stood out about Florida State, Patterson immediately talked about how the Seminoles’ fourth-year head coach helped him mentally.
“Coach Mike Norvell really gave me that push …,” Patterson said. “He gave me that confidence back in myself that time I went through a lot when everybody was trying to force me to like a position that I had never played before. … I’ve never played linebacker; I always played safety.”
While some others have told Patterson they project him as a linebacker at the next level, the South Florida standout appreciated that Norvell and Florida State only classified him as a “playmaker.”
According to the On3 Industry Ranking, Patterson is the nation’s third-best safety — two spots behind FSU commit KJ Bolden. The Seminoles also have commitments from the country’s No. 2 cornerback, Charles Lester, three-star cornerback Ricky Knight and three-star safety CJ Heard.
When it comes to Patterson, the main competition for Florida State could be the Michigan Wolverines. When asked Sunday about each of the schools in his top five, Patterson spoke about the school in Ann Arbor the most.
“All my schools, they did a good job from Auburn to Florida State,” Patterson said. “Miami did a great job communicating. Michigan has been doing everything since my freshman year.”
Patterson admitted that some of his Chaminade-Madonna teammates who are committed to other schools — guys like Jojo Trader (Miami), Chris Ewald (Michigan) and Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State) — have urged him to play with them at college.
But he also will likely do the same with them when he makes his commitment.
“I mean, everybody wants to play with each other,” Patterson said.
Stay connected with Warchant.com as Patterson’s commitment date approaches on Aug. 26.
More on FSU’s 2024 Recruiting Class
For a deeper look into Florida State’s 2024 recruiting class player by player, check out their official On3 team commitment list. Also you can find out where Florida State stacks up against the top teams in the country with On3’s Industry Ranking page.
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