Who would have thought a wonderful visit would turn into a bashing session for Mike Norvell? FSU hosted its in-state school’s cornerback for spring practice. But turns out the visit ended on a disappointing note for CB, as news of his dissatisfaction began to surface. Now, his father, Ronald Vickers, has swooped in to clear all the fuss around it.

“My son did not say that about a program he grew up loving. Period!!” 2028 CB Izayah Vickers’ father, Ronald Vickers, said, replying to a Recruits CFB post.

It all started when Florida State hosted 2028 four-star Izayah Vickers on campus, which is 15 minutes from his high school, making it easy for him to visit. During his visit, he saw FSU’s new football facility for the first time and watched the team’s new cornerbacks coach, Blue Adams, run practice. He even praised how well they held off the practice.

“I really loved practice. Love how the coaches challenge the players,” Vickers said. “Even though they’re coming off a break, really challenging them and pushing them. Pushing them to the maximum extreme, just to get the best out of them.”

But soon, after his visit, Recruits CFB on X made a shocking revelation, saying, “After visiting Florida State’s practice today, 4-star CB prospect Izayah Vickers apparently said the practice was ‘essentially mediocre.'” 😭 Obviously, that’s not something you want to hear from your top prospect at cornerback for the 2026 class… especially when he goes to Florida State University High School. Thoughts?”

That’s a pretty major claim for a student who grew up watching the program. What cuts even deeper is that FSU is one of his top programs, along with Mississippi State, Auburn, Ole Miss, and possibly Arizona State. But being an in-state team does build a strong connection; that’s exactly what his father explained.

“He’s heartbroken over this, to be honest with you, that it has turned out to be this,” Ronald Vickers said. “Ever since he was a little boy, he’s been a Florida State fan. So it’s just very unfortunate. I hate this. I’m almost at a loss for words.”

Now, after all this mess, FSU’s beat writer Chris Nee clarified the entire situation that was created by his coverage, replying to the Recruits CFB post.

“I deleted the Izayah Vickers post because it is turning into something that wasn’t intended by me and is unfair to him,” Nee said. “He was discussing the coaches getting onto the players for good and for bad during the practice he viewed. He used ‘eh’ in describing some of the day’s actions. I used essentially mediocre to describe that brief comment in a 2-minute interview.”

Missing out on a player like Izayah Vickers because of such confusion would have cost Mike Norvell’s team big time. The CB had a strong sophomore season at Florida State University High School in Tallahassee, in which he accumulated 65 tackles, three tackles for loss, seven pass breakups, and recovered three fumbles. He plays mainly cornerback but also spends some time at safety.

The No. 8 CB in the 2028 class is not the only player FSU is eyeing.

How is FSU’s 2028 class shaping up

Florida State’s 2028 class is yet to gain any momentum, as the Noles have zero commitments. That is the common theme across college football, as the programs are prioritizing the 2027 class. On his part, Mike Norvell is spending his energy on in-state recruits from Jacksonville, Miami, and Tallahassee. Izayah Vickers is part of that plan.

Apart from the CB, Norvell has also shown interest in WR Brysen Wright, the No. 1 player in his position. The Jacksonville native currently has Florida State in his top 4, along with Miami, Texas, and Ohio State.

FSU is also interested in four-star OL George Selvie III, along with Edge Cam Toomey and QB Jackson Stecher. These recruitments are set to pick up pace in the fall.