A look at the 7 most intriguing FIU football recruits in its 2024 class

Some recruits are better -- or at least profile that way -- than others.

FIU, for example, signed 23 football players last week –13 freshmen and 10 transfers.

In perusing their bios and talking to scouts and coaches, here are the seven most intriguing new Panthers:

▪ Devonte Lyons, a 5-10, 185-pound running back, had a spectacular career at St. Augustine High, rushing for 3,857 yards, a 7.3 average and 57 touchdowns.

As a senior, he rushed for 1,558 yards and 27 touchdowns.

“He’s a big, powerful running back,” FIU coach Mike MacIntyre said. “He will be over 200 pounds by the time he gets here.”

▪ Eric Nelson, a 6-1, 165-pound wide receiver, was FIU’s first recruit in this class. The relationship with Nelson goes back to FIU coaches seeing him at a 7-on-7 camp in 2022.

At Miramar High last season, Nelson grabbed 65 passes for 1,123 yards, a 17.3 average and 12 touchdowns.

Miramar coach A.J. Scott has compared Nelson’s style with that of Hall of Fame wide receiver Michael Irvin.

“Eric is very animated,” Scott told The Herald. “When he beats you, he will let you know.”

▪ Desna Washington, a 6-5, 220-pound wide receiver, has intriguing size – and that includes what MacIntyre said is a 6-7 wingspan.

Washington’s size is mindful of Florida State wide receiver Keon Coleman, a 6-4, 215-pounder who became a breakout star this year with 11 TD catches.

In terms of experience, Washington has already played four years of college ball – three at a junior college (Iowa Western) and one at the Division I level (New Mexico).

It would not be a surprise if Washington becomes an immediate starter.

“A lot of schools wanted him,” MacIntyre said. “He catches those 50-50 balls.”

▪ Jonathan Rodriguez, a 6-5, 280-pounder from Cardinal Gibbons High, has good length, which will allow him to compete at multiple positions along the offensive line.

But Rodriguez – who also played rugby in high school – projects as a center, a position that is fairly open at FIU due to the banned-substance suspension that will keep John Bock II out of the lineup for most of 2024. Rodriguez will have to beat out veteran Ming Tjon if he wants to start right away.

▪ Germaine Carter, a 6-1, 275-pound defensive tackle, produced 19 tackles for loss as a senior, helping Norland reach a state final. Counting his junior season at Carol City, Carter had 44 tackles for losses and 27 sacks in two years.

“He’s quick, powerful and disruptive,” MacIntyre said.

▪ Eddie Walls III, a 6-4, 250-pound outside linebacker, could become an immediate starter for FIU. He is big and athletic – he wrestled and played basketball in high school – and he has been productive at the Division I level.

First of all, Walls should help on special teams because he blocked one kick in each of the past two seasons at Bethune-Cookman.

Secondly, Walls had 14½ tackles for losses last season, and he has a total of seven sacks the past two years.

“He has a high motor,” MacIntyre said.

▪ Josiah Taylor, a 6-0, 210-pound linebacker, was a highly productive prep player at Sebring High, totaling 414 tackles in four years. He had more than 120 stops in each of his past two seasons.

Taylor was committed to South Florida before flipping to FIU.

THIS AND THAT

▪ MacIntyre said 6-5, 310-pound Cole Gustafson could replace graduated nose guard Jack Daly. Gustafson, a California native, played junior-college ball last season, posting seven tackles for losses.

▪ Washington is friends with FIU safety CJ Christian as they were teammates at Iowa Western.

▪ MacIntyre compared freshman Nicholas Smith Jr. to Kris Mitchell, who broke FIU’s single-season receiving-yardage record in 2023 and then transferred to Notre Dame.

“I don’t want to put pressure on (Smith),” MacIntyre said. “But he reminds me of Mitchell at the same age.”

▪ MacIntyre said he’s never had an athletic director such as Scott Carr who attended every home recruiting visit.