‘Worth The Trip’ … FSU QB commit Luke Kromenhoek loves being there for Lester ceremony

Luke Kromenhoek knew Charles Lester had been a “silent commit” to Florida State since June. And when he was flirting publicly with Colorado in recent weeks, Lester was constantly reassuring Kromenhoek that he was still solid with the Seminoles.

Yet even with all of that as a backdrop, Kromenhoek admitted there were some tense moments Friday night during Lester’s commitment ceremony.

Kromenhoek, Florida State’s four-star quarterback commit, and his father, Jon, had made the six-hour drive from Savannah, Ga., to Sarasota for the announcement. So when the emcee of the event showed an X on the back of a Florida State T-shirt, Kromenhoek couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy.

“I was like, ‘Uh oh, this could go south.’ I was definitely nervous,” Kromenhoek admitted afterward. “But in the end, he made the right decision and he came home. And I couldn’t be more happy. It was definitely worth the trip.”

Kromenhoek was already planning to come down to the Sunshine State this weekend to check out Florida State’s Seminole Showcase event on Saturday. But he and his father, Jon, decided to make the additional trek down to Sarasota to support the newest member of the Seminoles’ 2024 recruiting class.

“It was super exciting to be able to go there and support one of the new members of this Tribe24 class. It was a great experience,” Luke Kromenhoek said. “Got to meet all the people who have supported him. … And just to be able to be there for him and show him that it’s a family was a great experience. I couldn’t be more pumped to have him as part of this Tribe.”

Lester is now the highest-rated prospect in Florida State’s 2024 class. According to On3, he is the No. 2 cornerback in the country, the No. 4 prospect in Florida and the No. 20 recruit nationally.

So while a six-hour drive might have seemed like a big investment of time and effort to some, Kromenhoek was thrilled to do it.

“It was very important to me,” the four-star quarterback said. “I feel like it’s my job as the quarterback of this class to lead and be there for our guys. And Charles was a big get for us. …. The drive definitely was a long one, but in the end it was definitely worth it.”

Kromenhoek got a special treat during the announcement ceremony when Lester called him up on stage to celebrate. The Savannah, Ga., product said that gesture meant a lot to him.

“It was his big night, and it really should have been all about him,” Kromenhoek said. “But he wanted to share how much he cared about this Tribe24 class, so he brought me up there. It kind of showed that we’re a family, and it speaks volumes about him as a person.”

While Florida State’s coaches deserve most of the credit for reeling in Lester, Kromenhoek deserves a share of that appreciation too. It was during one of their visits to Tallahassee that the quarterback asked Lester what it was going to take to make him a Seminole.

When Lester suggested he’d like to play some receiver in college too — he stars on both sides of the ball in high school — Kromenhoek sprung into action and got the go-ahead from quarterbacks coach Tony Tokarz.

“I was like, ‘Dude, I can make that happen. No worries,’” Kromenhoek recalled with a laugh on Friday. 

Now, Kromenhoek and Lester will continue working on the rest of Florida State’s 2024 class. That starts today at the Seminole Showcase event, and it will continue in the coming days with the pursuit of five-star defensive back KJ Bolden, who plans to announce his commitment on Aug. 5.

Ohio State and Georgia are the perceived leaders for Bolden, but Florida State has been trending in a positive direction recently. And Kromenhoek believes the Seminoles have a good shot at bringing in another five-star.

“That’s definitely a big one that we’ve been working on for a long time,” the quarterback said. “I’ve been working on him, and I know Charles has been texting him recently. Everyone over here feels good about him. We think we’re in a good spot to be able to land him, and that would just be a huge get for this class. It would definitely make a statement that we’re here to play, and we’re not letting off the gas. We’re all in, and we’re trying to win championships.”

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