Jordan Scott played at a successful high school in Virginia that won state titles at the Class 2A level. But even though he was tall and productive at Appomattox (Va.) High, Scott didn’t have but a few offers.

“Really in high school I was a little under-recruited,” Scott said. “I took the chance, I bet on myself and went JUCO because I knew I was better than I was. I was underrated so I took the time to go to JUCO and changed my life.”

Scott left Virginia behind for Mississippi. He played sparingly as a freshman, but Scott began to impress in 2024 as he caught 20 passes for 358 yards and four touchdowns in eight games at Southwest Mississippi Community College.

What stood out early to the coaching staff was his smile and how hard he worked.

"He's going to do everything with a smile on his face," SW Mississippi running backs coach Stephone Huderson said. "Real humble guy, just happy to play football and get the opportunity to be out there and compete another day."

Scott showed that he demanded the best from himself and teammates each day in practice.

"His work ethic was angry," Huderson said. "If you drop a pass, he's mad at himself for the whole workout. He's pushing everybody else. He's pissed off for greatness. That one mistake Jordan does at the beginning, that's going to be his fuel through the whole workout."

On Tuesday, the 6-foot-7 Scott discussed having a chip on his shoulder but also a drive to make the most out of his opportunity playing junior college football.

“JUCO, honestly, will mature you,” Scott said. “It will definitely mature you, make you grow up fast. You don’t have the facilities, the athletic trainers that everybody else has. It will really humble you. I would never take any of this for granted. I’m blessed.”

Scott began to pick up offers after his third game of the 2024 season, but then they began to roll in. “Phone calls every day, every day, every day,” Scott said.

Arizona State and FSU jumped in with offers on Nov. 8, with Scott initially committing to the Sun Devils before flipping to the Seminoles on Nov. 28.

“I came here, I loved it and I wanted to be part of the standard,” Scott said.

FSU went big at receiver in the offseason, signing Southern Cal transfer Duce Robinson (who is 6-6) as well as freshmen Teriq Mallory (6-5) and Tae’Shaun Gelsey (6-4). The coaches also landed a natural slot receiver in Tennessee transfer Squirrel White and a versatile, productive option in Jayvan Boggs (6-1).

But it’s clear the emphasis was on height. Scott has just that, a long and thin frame at 215 pounds but a receiver who is capable of high-pointing passes and has a catch radius for throws over the middle.

It’s tough to gauge based on his limited junior college film, plays where his height give him an inherent advantage over shorter defensive backs. How that junior college experience helps him transition to FSU remains to be seen.

Among the questions: Can he match up physically with Power 4 defensive backs? How effective is he as a perimeter blocker? But Scott has at least shown enough upside in the eyes of the Seminoles’ coaches to be intrigued. There's also what he's shown the SW Mississippi coaches in practices and games.

"Jordan likes to move around, make these quick cuts, maybe even hurdle a guy," Huderson said. "In his head he can do that, which he can. So he's going to surprise people that this 6-7 receiver can do all of these things and not just be a typical tall, slow guy. He can actually move around pretty good."

There will inevitably be comparisons to Johnny Wilson and Keon Coleman, what they accomplished in Tallahassee and how FSU is an attractive destination for taller receivers. When asked about Wilson, who was listed by FSU at 6-7 and by the Philadelphia Eagles at 6-6, Scott said that “being compared to him is not a bad thing.”

"That definitely played a role in my recruitment for sure," Scott said of what Wilson and Coleman did at FSU. "Just the fact that somebody that tall, they invested in them. Put that time in them, they made it happen."

Scott doesn’t want to just be viewed as a tall receiver. He knows what his strengths are, but Scott also teased a little of what FSU fans will see from him in the future.

“The thing that might surprise people is I’m fast,” Scott said.

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