5-star LSU commit Thomas says 'Noles have closed the gap

From the very start of his unofficial visit to Florida State for the Seminoles' "Saturday Night Live" camp, five-star offensive lineman Kardell Thomas was blown away by what he experienced this weekend in Tallahassee.

He already had built a nice bond with FSU head coach Willie Taggart and offensive line coach Greg Frey. But after working out with Frey at the camp, Thomas said those connections are even stronger.

"It's Coach T and Coach Frey, and how he (Frey) coaches you," Thomas said. "It's something I've never seen before. He takes time to correct this or that. You didn't step this way or you stepped too far on this rep. It was real coaching, and he's a stand-up guy.

"Then with Coach T, the main thing he's going to talk about is getting that degree. And he's about winning that championship, which I think they can do. I feel like I could see myself here."

Some fans have wondered how open Thomas might really be to another school since he lives in Baton Rouge, La., and is committed to the hometown LSU Tigers.

But the five-star lineman, who is rated the nation's No. 1 offensive guard, made it clear that the Seminoles are definitely in the running.

"I didn't come here for no reason," Thomas said. "I'm definitely very interested in FSU. They tapped, answered every check box I had for questions. I'm also not done with the visit, as I'm staying here until Monday. FSU is the place to be. This is the only visit I can compare to LSU as far as everything. It's 50-50.

"My mom loves Coach Taggart, and she loves how he treats all his players like they are his own kids. I'm coming back for sure for an official visit. It will be the Clemson game."