On Thursday night, the Florida State Seminoles added yet another 'Noles legacy to their 2017 class as Tampa (Fla.) Gaither LB/S DeCalon Brooks announced he's going to be a Seminole. Brooks is the son of NFL Hall of Famer and former FSU great Derrick Brooks.
In this Impact Analysis, we take a look at what this commitment means for Florida State and where he could make an impact for the Seminoles' defense. We also share a scouting report on Brooks from one of our Rivals recruiting analysts.
The moment Florida State offered him a scholarship this spring, many had DeCalon Brooks pegged as a future commitment for FSU. And why not? His father, Derrick Brooks, is considered to be one of the Seminoles' all-time greats.
But make no mistake about it, the younger Brooks says this decision was about what is best for him and how he fits in at Florida State -- not his father's past accomplishments.
FSU's coaches made the linebacker/safety prospect a major priority during the recruiting process. They officially sent him his offer on Aug. 1, the first day coaches were allowed to do so.
"They always recruited me hard as DeCalon Brooks, and not the son of Derrick Brooks, and that made a big difference to me," the younger Brooks told Warchant. "I felt at home, comfortable there since I've been over there basically my whole life."
Once he made the decision, Brooks' first call was to Lawrence Dawsey, his main recruiter.
"I talked to Coach Dawsey first. He was very excited," Brooks said. "[He said] that's what he wanted to hear and welcome to the family."
Although his father was supportive throughout the process, Brooks said he never pushed him one way or the other.
"One thing my Dad said was, if I didn't have football, is Florida State a school I would choose?" Brooks said. "And I said, 'Yes sir, it is.' He said he's proud of me."
While Dawsey, who recruits the Tampa area, was his lead recruiter, Brooks said he also built a strong bond with FSU defensive coordinator Charles Kelly and linebackers coach Bill Miller. He said the defensive coaches impressed him by showing him exactly how he would fit into the Seminoles' schemes.
"They really just wanted me to see the defense and what they run for a couple of games, so I could see where I would play," Brooks said. "Then they would show me on the board and film what I would be doing and show some schemes about how I would fit in different ways. They backed up everything they said."
Brooks is now the second legacy commitment in FSU's 2017 class, joining Stanford Samuels III. The two don't know each other well, but that's likely to change as Brooks said he plans to recruit hard for the 'Noles the way Samuels has done.
"Hopefully I'm going to get some guys there to see Florida State," Brooks said.
