TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Five-star guard prospect Kardell Thomas didn’t want to come back to visit the Florida State Seminoles. He visited under the last staff and thought FSU was boring.

But linebackers coach Raymond Woodie’s persistence convinced the LSU commit from Baton Rouge (La.) Lab School to come.

“I’ve been talking to coach Woodie for about four months now. He’s been telling me to come to Florida State. I wasn’t really trying to hear that, I’m not going to lie. The first time I came here it was so boring, no disrespect to the last staff, but it was so boring, I was like I’m never coming back here again. Coach kept telling me it was different, I finally came and I see what he means,” Thomas said.

Thomas said great things about Florida State for four minutes straight.

“It was a great visit. They [answered] every question I asked. I don’t leave until Monday, so I’m coming back again [Sunday]. FSU is the place for me.”

“This is the only school that can compare to LSU on everything for me. The way the staff treats you, it’s 50/50 (with LSU), it’s that real.”

Thomas still considers himself committed to LSU, but FSU gave him something to think about.

The first time I came here it was so boring, no disrespect to the last staff, but it was so boring, I was like I’m never coming back here again.

“Most definitely. It matched LSU, no school had ever matched it, FSU matched it.”

Does Thomas feel like he has another decision to make?

“Most definitely. It’s going to come down to signing day.”

Head coach Willie Taggart also impressed Thomas.

“He’s a standup guy. He’s going to develop you and and tell you to get your degree. I can see myself winning a championship here.”

Thomas said his mom really liked coach Taggart as well.

“She loves coach Taggart. He treats you like his own kids, literally. Most coaches say it but they don’t really do it. He really treats you like that. That’s one thing I like about him. To have a coach like that behind you regardless, that’s great.”

“On top of that, my mom, she loves him. Like I said she loves him.”

Offensive line coach Greg Frey also gave Thomas some advice.

“I learned about my stance,” Thomas said, explaining that coach Frey gave him tips on weight distribution between his on and off-legs and alignment.”

Will he back to take an official visit?

“I’ll definitely be taking an official. For the Clemson game,” Thomas said, explaining FSU bumped Oklahoma for his fifth official. He’ll also take them to LSU, USC, Miami, and Penn State.

Thomas said that he knew he would be taking an official as soon as he arrived on Thursday.

“The whole staff greeted us when we got out of the car. You can just feel, genuine. It was a big deal,” Thomas said.

Analysis

It is extremely difficult for schools to sign kids LSU really wants out of the state of Louisiana. Thomas will be no different. But he literally said great things about FSU for four minutes straight. FSU hit this visit out of the park. I am not close to changing my pick on Thomas, but if LSU has a rocky season or something, and FSU continues to to form the bond, who knows.