February 5, 2007

Chris Nee
Warchant.com Staff

Florida State has been in desperate need of adding some speed to their offense and on Monday night it finally happened. Four-star athlete/wide receiver Panama City (FL) Bay High School standout Bert Reed decided to make it official, he is going to be a Seminole.

"I committed to Florida State," Reed told Warchant.com "I actually committed while I was on the visit. I committed on Sunday before I left."

Reed took his official visit to Florida State this past weekend despite the fact he was committed to the Florida Gators. The trip was good enough that when Reed returned home, he decided to officially decommit from the Gators. On Tuesday, he decided to go public with his decision.

"I just felt comfortable there," Reed said. "I felt like it was the place for me. I just felt really comfortable with the players and the coaches. It isn't a flashy place but it is the place for me."

One of those coaches that made Reed feel comfortable was his recruiting coach, defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews, who recruits the western Panhandle of Florida for FSU. Andrews was the first person that Reed informed of his decision.

"It brought a smile to his face," Reed said. "I think it made his weekend."

New offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher and wide receivers coach Lawrence Dawsey made the pitch to Reed that he could fill the role of offensive playmaker. In the end, that opportunity was very influential in his decision.

"I can definitely fill that role," Reed said. "I feel I can bring it to this team next year and that I will get the opportunities to take advantage of that and show what I can do on the field. I can make plays. I don't have to try to hard I just have to play and let it come to me and make plays because that is what I do."

An interesting twist to Reed's recruitment is that it was speculated that if he visited Florida State, that the Gators would pull his scholarship offer. However, Reed informed Warchant.com that did not happen.

"I am glad all of this is over," Reed said. "I am glad I made the choice to make the visit. Officially, they did not pull the scholarship. It was still there. I am glad I did what I did. I think I am going to excel at Florida State's program. I think we have a great chance to win with these guys coming in."

Reed carries a 2.6 GPA and should be on track to qualify. He will sign his letter-of-intent to play at Florida State on Wednesday at a ceremony at his school.

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