Florida State football beats Kentucky for 2023 defensive back Kenton Kirkland
The recruiting buzz surrounding Kenton Kirkland suggested that he favored the University of Kentucky.
Until recently.
Kirkland, a 2023 defensive back out of Raines High in Jacksonville, announced his verbal commitment to Florida State via Instagram on Monday.
The Seminoles needed to win this head-to-head battle.
One of their top defensive targets in the 2023 class, Alabama defensive back Avery Stuart, pledged to the Wildcats last month. Stuart and Kirkland considered FSU and Kentucky to be their top two schools.
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At 6-foot-2, 187 pounds with a 77-inch wingspan, Kirkland seems to have upside with his lengthy frame. He also brings versatility. He primarily lines up as a cornerback at Raines but could play multiple positions in the secondary.
The rangy Kirkland might even make the most sense at the safety position. He recorded 20 tackles, two tackles for a loss, 12 pass breakups and an interception across 10 games as a junior last season.
247Sports is the most bullish on Kirkland out of the three major recruiting websites, rating him four stars as its No. 28 safety in the class. On3 (No. 94 safety) and Rivals (unranked nationally) value Kirkland as a three-star recruit.
John Papuchis (special teams/defensive ends) and Marcus Woodson (defensive backs) were the two Seminole assistant coaches leading Kirkland’s recruitment. FSU offered Kirkland a scholarship last August before hosting him for six unofficial visits.
With Kirkland, the Seminoles now have 14 commits in their 2023 class.
They have received verbal pledges from 11 2023 recruits since June 11, which includes JUCO defensive lineman Jaden Jones.
The class ranks in the top 30 nationally on On3 (18), 247Sports (22) and Rivals (28).
Let’s work😤‼️ #Committed #AGTG @ChadSimmons_ @RWrightRivals @Noles247 @FSUFootball @On3Recruits @247Sports @1010XL pic.twitter.com/KVS4HLujb2
— Kenton “KJ” Kirkland ll (@kenton_kirkland) August 16, 2022
Florida State's 2023 recruiting class
Below are the 14 recruits currently committed to Florida State's 2023 class, along with what their ranking is on 247Sports.
Wide Receiver
Three-star Vandrevius Jacobs - Vero Beach High - Fort Pierce, Fla. - No. 78 wide receiver
Three-star Darren "Goldie" Lawrence - Seminole High - Sanford, Fla. - No. 42 wide receiver
Offensive Line
Four-star Lucas Simmons - Clearwater Academy International - Clearwater, Fla. - No. 8 offensive tackle, No. 60 overall
Four-star Roderick Kearney - Orange Park High - Orange Park, Fla. - No. 6 interior offensive lineman, No. 155 overall
Running back
Four-star Samuel Singleton - Fleming Island - Orange Park, Fla. - No. 14 running back
Defensive End
Four-star Lamont Green Jr. - Gulliver Prep - Miami - No. 26 edge rusher, No. 226 overall
Junior college transfer Jaden Jones - Hutchinson CC - Montgomery, Ala. - Unranked
Four-star Keldric Faulk - Highland Home - Highland Home, Ala. - No. 14 defensive lineman, No. 115 overall
Defensive Tackle
Four-star Keith Sampson Jr. - New Bern High - New Bern, N.C. - No. 22 defensive lineman, No. 145 overall
Three-star Tavion Gadson - Jenkins - Savannah, Ga. - No. 53 defensive lineman
Linebacker
Three-star DeMarco Ward - Duluth High - Duluth, Ga. - No. 106 linebacker
Defensive Back
Four-star Kenton Kirkland - Raines - Jacksonville, Fla. - No. 28 safety
Three-star Quindarrius Jones - Meridian High - Meridian, Ms. - No. 105 athlete
Three-star Ja'Bril Rawls - Pensacola Catholic - Pensacola, Fla. - No. 95 cornerback
Reach Carter Karels at ckarels@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter @CarterKarels. You can follow our coverage on Facebook (NoleSports) and Instagram (tlhnolesports).
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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU football recruiting: 2023 safety Kenton Kirkland commits to Seminoles
