Former FSU DE commit Gabriel Harris visits 'Noles, calls visit 'great'

The Florida State football staff kicked off a big recruiting week around the upcoming Spring Game by hosting a very familiar Rivals100 prospect during practice on Tuesday.

Defensive end Gabriel Harris, who was an early commitment to the Seminoles but decommitted last summer, made his way back to campus and recapped why FSU remains in the thick of things in his recruitment.

Currently rated as the nation’s No. 49 overall prospect by Rivals, Harris called the return trip a, “great experience.”

“Going back there, seeing some of the new coaches there. Bonding with them and building a relationship with them,” Harris said. “It was great.”

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One of the newest members of the FSU support staff, assistant director of high school relations Keiwan Ratliff, has become one of Harris’ main contacts with the ’Noles.

“He was just telling me the way they work and stuff like that. They go hard, and they go 100 percent, you know,” Harris said. “And they don’t like to take days off.”

Harris also has longstanding relationships with FSU defensive line coaches John Papuchis and Odell Haggins.

“Coach Odell, he’s a hard coach, a hard-nosed coach. He wants you to go through the workout, not tap out or nothing,” Harris said. “That’s what I like about him -- he’ll keep pushing you.”

Harris explained that there was “never love lost” when he decommitted, and he still has strong feelings for FSU.

“I am just enjoying it right now until the end of the summer,” Harris said of his recruitment. “That’s when I’ll make my decision.”

FSU held one of its final practices of spring football on Tuesday, and Harris recapped what he saw from the defense.

“They were very physical out there, and I love that part," the four-star recruit said. "That’s my style of game. I like to play physical.”

He was especially impressed by the players at his position, defensive end.

“Oh, they get off the ball quite good over there. A lot of them are stepping up now since Jermaine Johnson is about to get drafted,” Harris said. “I like seeing the young ends go. They showed me something yesterday.”

Harris also said he was impressed with FSU freshman defensive back Sam McCall and freshman defensive end Aaron Hester -- two early enrollees already seeing major action in practice.

“That stood out to me, because that’s something I am trying to do,” Harris said. “I’m trying to enroll early and graduate early. I look at stuff like that.”

When asked if he wants to visit FSU again in the future, Harris confirmed he “most definitely” wants to come back again to Tallahassee. A return visit could come sooner rather than later.

“FSU, the atmosphere you know, it’s amazing to me,” Harris said. “It feels like family.”

Could he be back for the spring game on Saturday?

“I am not going to say I am, but probably," Harris said. "I will try to get to the spring game.”

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