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No. 1 player in 2022 class Travis Hunter flips from Florida State to Jackson State
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- No. 1 player in 2022 class Travis Hunter flips from Florida State to Jackson State
In a bit of extremely shocking news, Florida State has lost its commitment from Travis Hunter, the No. 1 player in the 2022 class.
The five-star defensive back out of Suwanee (Ga.) Collins Hills, had been committed to FSU for nearly two years before flipping to Jackson State and former FSU and NFL legend Deion Sanders on the first day of the early signing period.
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More: Live tracker: Florida State football aiming for top-10 class during early signing period
The news comes as a complete surprise as Hunter has been extremely vocal in how committed he is to FSU despite the Seminoles' on-field struggles.
"Florida State has always been a beacon for me. I grew up down there, that's where I'm from and I never doubted I would play for the Seminoles," Hunter said in a tweet after making his announcement on a live stream.
"It's a dream that is hard to let go of, but sometimes we are called into a bigger future than the one we imagined for ourselves. For me, that future is at Jackson State. Jerry Rice, Doug Williams and of course the legend, JSU's own Walter Payton. Historically Black Colleges and Universities have a rich history in football. I want to be a part of that history and more, I want to be a part of that future. I am making this decision so that I can light the way for others, make it a little easier for the next player to recognize that HBCUs may be everything you want and more: an exciting college experience, a vital community and a life-changing place to play football.
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"I look forward to working with the iconic Deion Sanders and especially with my fellow Tigers. Along with Coach Prime, they have already made me feel like I'm part of the team. Like I'm home. And I can't wait to welcome the next class of top athletes into the family of HBCUs."
Hunter committed to FSU as an unranked prospect in March of 2020, but quickly saw his commitment blow up as he got offers and extreme interest from some of the country's most prolific programs including Alabama, Clemson, Georgia and Oklahoma.
He made it clear that these teams got in on him too late and said consistently that he was locked into FSU. However, he changed his tune right at the end of the process, flipping to Jackson State.
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It's been speculated that a name, image and likeness deal in partnership with Barstool Sports, where Sanders is also an employee, played a role in sealing the deal for Hunter.
Barstool President Dave Portnoy shared his congratulations in a tweet, saying, "Congrats to @DeionSanders for landing @TravisHunterJr #1 recruit in country. Fsu gotta stop crying. They coulda had Deion and let him go. Now he's kicking their ass. Looking forward to Travis Hunter's new profile."
It was going to be the first time FSU has signed the No. 1 overall recruit in a class according to the 247Sports composite rankings since top-ranked linebacker Ernie Sims signed with FSU back in 2003. It's now an unprecedented move of a top-ranked recruit signing with an FCS and HBCU program.
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Instead, it's a huge hit to FSU's 2022 class. His decommitment drops FSU from 11th to 18th in the 2022 recruiting class rankings. The yet unknown factor is the effect Hunter's decision could have on the rest of the Seminoles' signing class.
Reach Curt Weiler at cweiler@tallahassee.com or follow him on Twitter @CurtMWeiler.
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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Travis Hunter Jr., FSU top commit, signs with Deion Sanders, Jackson State
