The first high schoolers talk with the media about their recruitment
The third week of Florida State newcomer interviews began Tuesday, featuring a switch-up from solely transfer players with, in addition to UCF Knights transfer offensive lineman Adrian Medley, wide receiver Jayvon Boggs and tight end Chase Loftin being the first freshman meeting with the media.
The trio all had recruitments go down to the wire, ones that did not always look like they would end up with Florida State earning their signatures, but connections with the staff and a belief in Mike Norvell’s program ended up being enough to secure their services.
“My recruitment process wasn’t an easy thing,” Loftin said, “What led to me sticking here was my relationship with the coaches. Ever since I walked in here, I knew I wanted to play here.”
Later, Loftin discussed his relationship with the Nebraska coaching staff, which recruited him heavily but ended up in Tallahassee.
“They were some of my favorite coaches at Nebraska. I like to tell them that they followed me here.”
Jayvon Boggs’s bond with new offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn initially led him to UCF. The wide receiver exploded his senior year, leading to Malzahn making him a priority before early signing day and flipping him from his old school. Unfortunately, recruiting services did not trust his production, giving Boggs something to prove during his freshman year.
“I take that personally. It is not against them, but it’s a chip on my shoulder. It motivates me to keep working hard.”
Boggs also mentioned Duce Robinson as a player helping him transition to the college game.
“Duce and I have grown close. I hang out with him a lot. He helps me out a lot as an older guy. We work out together and chill, so it’s been great having him in that room.”
Offensive lineman Adrian Medley falls on the opposite end of the spectrum of the other two interviews as he begins his sixth year in college football. However, like the freshman, his connection with offensive line coach Herb Hand convinced him to play for FSU.
“If you don’t know Coach Hand, he probably seems like a mean guy, but he’s like a father figure to the O-line.”
Medley wants to use that experience to make an impact as a young roster attempts to learn a new offense.
“I want to be a leader at this school to help the offensive line know the footwork and the techniques. I’m here to help teach some of the younger guys.”
The full availability of the student-athletes can be found below.
Offensive lineman Adrian Medley
BEFORE FSU: Played at UCF from 2019-24, including final four seasons under current Florida State offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn and FSU offensive line coach Herb Hand…appeared in 26 games for Knights with 19 starts, including all 12 in 2024 at left guard…blocked as UCF produced top-10 rushing offense and top-20 total offense each of past two seasons…Knights ranked seventh nationally in 2024 with average of 248.1 rushing yards per game after ranking fourth in 2023…UCF ranked 16th in total offense in 2024 behind running back RJ Harvey, who ranked in top five nationally in all-purpose yards, points per game, rushing yards per game and rushing touchdowns…started six games in 2023 after missing 2022 season…earned first career start at Louisville in 2021…played one game in both 2019 and 2020…ranked as nation’s No. 39 offensive tackle out of Pensacola High School…Pensacola News-Journal all-area selection in 2018.
Tight end Chase Loftin
BEFORE FSU: Four-star tight end ranked as No. 2 prospect from Nebraska…Florida State’s first signee from Nebraska…rated as Class of 2025’s No. 344 prospect and No. 23 tight end in On3 Industry Ranking… ranked as nation’s No. 12 tight end by ESPN and No. 14 tight end from Rivals…played senior season with Millard South after playing first three years at Elkhorn North…caught 57 passes for 837 yards and 12 touchdowns as Millard South won Class A state championship for first time in 15 years…helped lead Elkhorn North to Class B semifinals for first semifinal appearance in program history with 34 catches for 440 yards and six touchdowns in 2023…also averaged 38.2 yards per punt, made four field goals and connected on 33 PATs as Wolves’ primary kicking specialist…in sophomore season, caught 39 passes for 577 yards and five touchdowns…brother Brayden is sophomore tight end at Kansas State…chose Florida State over offers from Nebraska, Texas A&M and Missouri, among others.
Wide receiver Jayvon Boggs
BEFORE FSU: Four-star wide receiver out of Cocoa High School in Cocoa…rated No. 221 nationally and No. 27 wide receiver in Class of 2025 on 247Sports Composite…ranked No. 69 overall nationally, No. 12 wide receiver in America and No. 16 prospect from Florida by Rivals…No. 275 on ESPN300…ended senior season with 99 catches for 2,133 yards and 24 touchdowns, leading Tigers to 2A state championship…MaxPreps first-team All-American…in state semifinals vs. Cardinal Newman, caught 17 passes for Florida single-game record 378 yards and three touchdowns…named 2023 Florida Dairy Farmers Mr. Football after catching 93 passes for 1,493 yards and 24 touchdowns as Cocoa won second consecutive state championship with perfect 15-0 record…earned 41 receptions for 722 yards and six touchdowns on state champion team during sophomore season…chose Florida State over UCF, Ohio State and Florida, among others.
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