Florida State trending for 4-star safety Zaquan Patterson ahead of weekend decision

Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna four-star safety Zaquan Patterson is down to Auburn, Florida State, Miami, Michigan and Ohio State with a commitment decision coming on Saturday.

The in-state Hurricanes have been the team trending heavily in the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM) for much of the summer, but the winds are beginning to shift ahead of his announcement.

Rival Florida State has made a major push in the past few months with the Miami-area safety, and FSU recruiting insider Michael Langston has the ‘Noles out in front as decision day looms.

“My prediction right now would be Florida State, that’s where I sit,” he said Thursday during On3’s Inside Scoop recruiting show. “I’ve felt that way probably for a week and a half, and I haven’t heard anything different. Things have been pretty consistent that it’s Florida State and the reason being what they’ve done and what they offer. Certainly it’s a position of need of them getting safeties on this team because these recruits have seen what they’ve done with Jammie Robinson and other players.”

Relationships and production are key for Florida State

On top of the Seminoles’ success on the field — both in wins and producing players — Langston believes that FSU’s coaches have the best relationship with Patterson of any staff, despite being behind in his recruitment just a few months ago.

“They see what FSU is building, and the relationships, that’s something we talk about a lot of why they land these kids,” he said. “And I think FSU are the best he has. That doesn’t discount places like Miami and Auburn, but it really just shows you how much ground FSU has made up in this recruitment. Because they didn’t have much of a shot early on in this thing. He wasn’t even visiting FSU, but those last two visits really resonated and connected with him.”

Later in the show, Michigan insider EJ Holland was asked what his prediction would be for Patterson as now as well.

“I will say it’s Florida State this weekend,” he said, “and we’ll see on Signing Day in December.”

Patterson offers his thoughts on his finalists

Earlier this week, Patterson spoke with On3 Director of Recruiting Chad Simmons about each of his finalists.

AUBURN: “I love the people at Auburn. They have a fan base and it would be great to play in front of them. The new staff has been great too. They have really pursued me from day one and I talk a lot to Coach Zac Etheridge, Coach Crime (Wesley McGriff) and Coach Hugh Freeze.”

FSU: “Coach Mike Norvell has been recruiting me since my freshman year. He is about his players and giving his players opportunities. He is not afraid to play young guys, so I like that. I know guys like Edwin Joseph and Conrad Hussey from south Florida and they are already in the mix as freshmen. That shows me a lot.”

MIAMI: “I have always thought about being part of the Miami team that brought Miami back. I would be devastated if they won a national championship while I was in school and I wasn’t part of the team. That has always had Miami on my list. Then the new staff too and how they have recruited me made an impact on me. I have always felt like a priority for them.”

MICHIGAN: “I love the winning mentality at Michigan. Then is their culture. They have great people, awesome fans and the people are great year around there. I am always talking with Coach Steve Clinkscale too.”

OHIO STATE: “Ohio State is a great program, but the main thing there is, that I know guys there. I have good friends that are there and I have others that I know well that are going there. It would just make the transition to college easier by knowing people and having those relationships. I also love to win and I know Ohio State would give me that opportunity in the future.”