Welcome to the wild world of recruiting.
Before he made an unofficial visit to Tallahassee on Friday, Florida State wasn't in the top five for Tucker, Ga., defensive end Derrick McLendon. The teams that did make his list were Florida, N.C. State, Georgia, Tennessee and LSU.
Now, the 'Noles are in there too.
McLendon, a four-star prospect, raved about getting to know head coach Willie Taggart, defensive ends coach Mark Snyder and everyone else he came in contact with.
"It was really good. Coach Snyder and Coach Taggart are great people," McLendon said. "I can tell the atmosphere has changed, judging how the players react to the practice. I've been to a lot of places, and I haven't seen a practice this amped up. Coach Willie has changed the atmosphere."
McLendon arrived at FSU early Friday morning and stayed for nearly 11 hours. He said the 'Noles made a huge impression on him.
"FSU is definitely up there," he said. "I won't even lie to you. It felt real. It didn't feel artificial or that someone was putting on a show for me. Felt like, no lie, I could possibly be a player here."
