4-star OL Owens, 4-star CB Russ love FSU visits, planning return trips

A 6-foot-2 cornerback out of Dunbar High, Russ decommitted from Florida in February after being pledged to the Gators for 10 months.

Now that he has visited FSU, Russ recapped the strong push the ’Noles have made lately for him, especially since hiring former UF player Keiwan Ratliff as assistant director of high school relations.

“I have been talking with Coach Rat after he left from the Gators. I have been talking to them ever since then,” Russ said. “But Coach Woodson (defensive backs coach Marcus Woodson) always kept in contact with me. Like my freshman year, my sophomore year, so there’s always been a connection with them.”

Russ said FSU is in his top 10 and that he is, “going to keep in contact with them heavy.”

“I see that they’re doing a lot of new stuff that I like. They are a family," Russ said.

As part of the visit, Russ got to watch the Seminoles' second spring scrimmage. Not surprisingly, he spent much of his time watching sophomore cornerback Omarion Cooper, who is from nearby Lehigh Acres.

“Omarion, that’s what I liked. I just watched him the whole time,” Russ said. “He’s from Fort Myers.”

When asked when he would make his next visit to FSU, the four-star cornerback said it won't be long.

“Probably be about two or three weeks," he said. “They showed me what I already need to see, basically.”