Five-Star DT Armondo Blount and family excited for return trip to Florida State

Earlier this spring, Florida State’s football coaches got a great opportunity to make a strong first impression on five-star 2025 defensive tackle Armondo Blount of Miami.

And the Seminoles did just that, as Blount and his family members all raved about the visit.

The trip went so well that Blount and his family are now planning to make a return visit to FSU during the July 29 weekend for a Seminole Showcase event. In preparation for that trip, Warchant spoke with Blount and his mother about the recruiting process, where things stand with FSU and more.

“it was so many things. One thing I noticed big time was the connections the coaches had with Armondo,” said Blount’s mother, Val Kennedy, “With Armondo, he thinks about things that the average 16-year-old doesn’t. So when he actually gets with a coach and they tell him something he hasn’t heard before, it’s amazing to me.”

Kennedy seemed especially impressed with longtime Florida State defensive tackles coach Odell Haggins.

“He told him (Armondo) things he could get better at as a defensive lineman,” the five-star recruit’s mother said. “The fact that he’s been there for that many years also stood out to me.”

She also appreciated how much the Seminoles’ coaches stressed academics and explained all of the academic opportunities that would be available if Blount selected Florida State.

“They helped me understand that the academic attention would be priority,” Kennedy said. “That part is very important to me. Of course, I want my son to be a great football player. But I also want him to get his degree and be someone after football.

“He wants to get into law. He’s heard from some coaches that he might not have time for that. FSU has been clear they will make time.”

While Blount is receiving attention from many great schools, his mother admitted that Florida State has been attractive to her since long before Blount became a college prospect.

“I wanted to go to Florida State myself,” Kennedy said. “I always liked the campus. … You know how they say it feels right? I’m not the one making the decision, but I know my son pretty well.”

Along with her positive reviews for Haggins, Kennedy also was impressed by FSU head coach Mike Norvell and his energy.

“Listen, Armondo is still talking about when Coach Norvell raced the defensive linemen,” she said. “He was like, ‘Coach is really running!’ There’s something about Coach Norvell I’ve liked about him since the first time I met him. I’ve always liked him.”

Blount lays out what he wants to see at Florida State

This will be Blount’s first visit to Florida State since March, and he has an idea of what he hopes to see.

“I want to see how the culture is and how this team bonds,” he said. “Being around the players a lot more and seeing the connection with the players and coaches. That’s something I didn’t get to see as much on the last visit. So being around the players and seeing the culture. Mainly being around all the defensive linemen to see what they have to say about FSU and the coaches.”

Even though it was four months ago, Blount still has fond memories of his March trip to FSU.

“It felt like home, it gave me a Miami vibe,” he said. “Coach Norvell was very honest on the last visit. He’s a very genuine person. How he connects with his players stood out to me. The way he’s always running around to every drill impressed me. Then racing the defensive linemen. It caught me off-guard because you don’t see many head coaches race defensive linemen because that’s one of the most athletic positions on the field. I was like, ‘Wow.’”

After his spring visit, Blount said that Florida State was his leader. And he explained that his relationships with Haggins and linebackers coach Randy Shannon are important factors.

“I really like that [Haggins] has been there for over 20 years, so I know if I went there that’s not going to change,” Blount said. “I also talk a lot with Coach Shannon. He’s known my mom since he was a kid. So I’ve known him for awhile.”

So, what else does the five-star lineman want to see on his FSU visit?

“I want to see the player bond, but I also want to learn more about their academics,” he said. “I have built a passion for law since middle school. I’ve liked criminal justice a lot. I’ve heard great things about FSU’s criminal justice program.”

Blount also shared that he doesn’t have other visits set up at this time. He’s working on an Ohio State visit but that hasn’t been scheduled yet.

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