BRADENTON, Fla. -- When it comes to college football recruiting, there aren't many stops bigger than the IMG Academy in Bradenton. Florida State always seems to be involved with several important targets at the school, and this year is no different. IMG defensive end Josh Griffis has already committed to the 'Noles, and FSU's coaches also are in hot pursuit of talented wide receiver Michael Redding.
In this edition of our Spring Recruiting Tour, we visit IMG to get a closer look at both prospects.
And in case you missed them, here are the previous installments from our Spring Tour:
Spring Tour Stop 1 -- Madison County, Fla. (DB Travis Jay, OL Zane Herring, more)
Spring Tour Stop 2 -- Orange Park Oakleaf (DE Chantz Williams, OL Jalen Rivers)
Spring Tour Stop 3 -- Jacksonville Sandalwood (several FSU targets)
Spring Tour Stop 4 -- Wakulla and Leon High
Spring Tour Stop 5 -- Largo High (LB Jayion McCluster)
Spring Tour Stop 6 -- Pinellas Park (RB Lawrance Toafili)
FSU commits making WR Redding feel like part of the family
If spring football practice is in full gear at IMG Academy, there's almost always going to be a steady stream of college football coaches making their way to the Bradenton campus. Coaches from Alabama, Tennessee and North Carolina were checking things out on the day we visited.
While wide receiver Michael Redding is one of the top prospects at the school -- he's rated the No. 5 player in the state of Florida and No. 7 receiver in the country -- Redding seems to have narrowed his focus to just a handful of schools: Florida State, Notre Dame, Penn State and Purdue.
And the Seminoles clearly are showing the four-star receiver how much of a priority he us.
"Yes, it's been pretty steady with how FSU is pushing," Redding said. "Most of the time I talk with Coach [Ron] Dugans, Coach [Raymond] Woodie, Coach [David] Kelly and Coach [Kendal] Briles. It's most of the coaching staff. My bond has been very good with Coach Dugans. It's been developing strong with him, and I'm actually going to talk with him tonight or soon."
It isn't just the FSU coaches who are pushing hard for Redding, but also the class of 2020 commits as well as current players.
Redding said no other school's recruiting class is pursuing him the way Florida State's has.
