Florida Welcomes Back Their Long Gone $700 Million Key Player Back To Team For 2024 Season…..
Florida State head coach Mike Norvell was a top candidate to replace Nick Saban at Alabama. In the end, he decided to stick with the Seminoles and just bring Tuscaloosa to Tallahassee.
On Tuesday afternoon, four-star defensive end and top-50 2025 prospect Javion Hilson announced on social media that he was flipping to FSU from the Crimson Tide. Hilson is one of the Seminoles’ most coveted targets in the upcoming recruiting cycle and a potential impact player off of the edge.
The Florida native was at Florida State twice last year. He took an unofficial visit in April and returned in November to watch the Seminoles take down Miami from the stands in Doak Campbell Stadium.
Hilson is coming off an outstanding junior season with Cocoa High School where he recorded 94 tackles, 27 tackles for loss, 14 sacks, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and two pass deflections. His performance was crucial in the Tigers winning the state championship for the second consecutive season.
Hilson becomes Florida State’s fourth pledge in #Tribe25, joining four-star quarterback Tramell Jones Jr., four-star offensive lineman Solomon Thomas, and three-star linebacker Ethan Pritchard. With his addition, the class is now ranked top-15 in the country.
The 6-foot-4, 225-pound defensive end is regarded as the No. 46 overall prospect, the No. 4 EDGE, and the No. 7 recruit in the state of Florida in the 2025 class according to 247Sports.
The Seminoles have landed five transfers from Alabama over the past couple of weeks; running back Roydell Williams, wide receiver Malik Benson, offensive lineman Terrence Ferguson II, linebacker Shawn Murphy, and cornerback Earl Little Jr.
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Florida State exploits the coaching change by flipping a 4-star recruit from Alabama.
Mike Norvell and Florida State kept busy this week pursuing players formerly tied to Alabama football. It happened on Monday. It happened again on Tuesday and it probably won’t be the last time. Javion Hilson, a four-star edge rusher in the class of 2025, flipped his commitment from the Tide to FSU.
Hilson tweeted “IM [sic] HOME!!”, announcing his decision.
Hilson is from Cocoa, Florida and is a top-50 recruit. He’s ranked 47th nationally per 247Sports composite, the No. 7 pass rusher and No. 6 player from the Sunshine State.
He committed to Nick Saban and Alabama on Dec. 8 after taking a visit over the previous summer. Five recruits have decommitted from UA since Saban retired last week, notably 2024 star Ryan Williams.
A pseudo pipeline has sprouted over the last week connecting Tuscaloosa to Tallahassee. Five players for UA’s 2023 roster have announced their intent to transfer. In addition to Hilson, receiving prospect Jamie Ffrench — who reopened his recruitment as well — appears to be high on the Seminoles’ board. Norvell was among the rumored candidates to replace Saban, including Oregon’s Dan Lannnig and eventual hire Kalen DeBoer (Washington).
“You respect the place, you respect the position. At the end of the day, it still comes down to the right fit. It still comes down to the place where you want to be, and what puts you in a position that you can pour everything you have into it. We’ve been able to do that over the last four years here at Florida State.” Norvell told ESPN after agreeing to a contract extension, reportedly worth more than $10 million a year. “There’s a lot of excitement around our program. I’m just excited to continue to build upon the foundation that’s been laid
And now it seems like some former Alabama players want to join Norvell, including starting offense pieces Roydell Willams and Malik Benson. Meanwhile, DeBoer is still assembling his coaching staff, adding friend and South Alabama coach Kane Wommack as defensive coordinator.