Bad news for Notre Dame has proven to be very good news for Florida State.
Highly-touted cornerback Ronald Darby, who had originally committed to Notre Dame last April before reopening his recruitment in early January, announced on Wednesday that he will attend Florida State this fall.
"I had to follow my heart," said Darby, who plans to compete on both the football and track teams at FSU. Darby is an elite sprinter who has won multiple state titles in Maryland, and that speed fuels his success on the gridiron.
The commitment of the No. 3 cornerback in the country, according to ESPN, adds to what has already been a very productive day for the Florida State defense. The defensive line got a big boost earlier in the day, when top-ranked defensive tackle Eddie Goldman of Friendship Collegiate Academy decided to join top-ranked defensive end Mario Edwards in the Seminole recruiting class. The Seminoles weren't through in the D.C. area, however, as they added Darby, from Oxon Hill, Md., and Potomac High School in the middle of the afternoon.
The addition of Darby will boost the FSU secondary, which is already set to add the nation's No. 6 safety in P.J. Williams. Overall, a defense that has thrived under head coach Jimbo Fisher, allowing less than 20 points per game in each of the last two seasons, is poised to get even better.
The arrival of Darby's letter of intent will also help keep the Seminoles ahead of their ACC rivals. Clemson and Miami also have Top 10 recruiting classes in ESPN's rankings, but Florida State's class is second only to defending national champion Alabama, with a letter of intent from top-ranked quarterback Jameis Winston still expected to arrive in Tallahassee.
Winston told ESPN, "I'm a Nole" earlier in the day on Wednesday, and Darby mentioned Winston's plans to play baseball at FSU when discussing his own track career. However, Winston's letter of intent is not expected to arrive until later in the week.
In the meantime, while Fisher and his staff wait for the centerpiece of their offensive puzzle, the defense continues to get tougher.
