Florida State, Ohio State setting the pace for elite WR Jaime Ffrench

It’s an all-out dash for Jacksonville Mandarin four-star wide receiver Jaime Ffrench. Since the elite prospect decommitted from Alabama last month, a hoard of programs have put their foot on the gas to try and land his pledge.

After hitting the reset button on his recruitment to kick off 2024, Ffrench told On3’s Chad Simmons over the weekend that he’s locked in four spring visits across the next two months. Trips to LSU (March 9), Ohio State (March 30), Texas (April 6) and Tennessee (April 8) are all now on the docket for the 6-foot-1, 185-pounder.

So, who’s at the top of the pack for Ffrench as March nears? Simmons sees one in-state school and one out-of-state school charging at the top ahead of a busy spring:

“I think a lot hinges on these trips. Right now, I’m not ready to say anybody out-of-state is competing with Ohio State. I think the one team that is competing with Ohio State is in the in-state school, Florida State,” Simmons said on The Inside Scoop.

Buckeyes, Seminoles charging hard for Ffrench

Both programs have had Ffrench on campus multiple times throughout his recruitment. Ohio State has made a habit of pulling elite wideouts out of Florida and bringing them to Columbus — including Five-Star Plus+ WR Jeremiah Smith, the No. 1 player in the 2024 class who signed with OSU.

Buckeyes wide receivers coach Brian Hartline is one of the top recruiters in the country, and he and head coach Ryan Day have certainly made it clear that Ffrench is a top priority. Day was one of the first coaches to make his way to Mandarin High School to visit Ffrench after he decommitted from Alabama.

“I know how he feels about the Buckeyes in Columbus. I think Brian Hartline is doing an excellent job there,” Simmons said.

Florida State has the in-state advantage, however. Ffrench can easily get to Tallahassee and clearly has an interest in the Seminoles, as he made a Junior Day visit there on Jan. 19. The Seminoles also currently posses a commitment from Ffrench’s high school teammate, three-star quarterback Tramell Jones.

“Tramell Jones is there at Mandarin, they played in the state championship together, been there in high school together the last few years. They have that — not just friendship, but they have that quarterback-receiver relationship. They know each other, the timing, all those little things make a big difference and a big impact,” Simmons said.

Upcoming visits will carry weight for Ffrench

LSU, Texas and Tennessee will each have a chance to make a splash in Ffrench’s recruitment over the next few weeks, too. It won’t be his first trip to Baton Rouge, but it will be visit No. 1 with the Longhorns and Volunteers.

It’s easy to see the intrigue with the trio of schools, as all three have commitments from top quarterbacks in the cycle. LSU also happens to the No. 1 class in the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings, which is headlined by Five-Star Plus+ QB commit Bryce Underwood, the top-ranked player in the cycle.

“I think he has communication with Bryce Underwood, the QB (committed) at LSU. He has communication with George MacIntyre, the QB commit at Tennessee. The school maybe I’ve heard the most about that’s on that list is Tennessee — that obviously intrigues him, is closer to home, is in the SEC, easy to get to,” Simmons said. “I think a lot really hinges on how he feels on these different campuses, whether it be Baton Rouge, Austin, Knoxville.”

Ffrench is the No. 22 overall prospect and No. 5 wideout in the 2025 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 3 player in The Sunshine State.