RECRUITING: Ahmad Paige update on visits

US Army All-American Ahmad Paige is a very busy high school prospect this month. Gator Country caught up with Paige after his visit to Florida State, where he said they were able to answer some questions he had. The trip was a good one for Paige who will now visit Florida this weekend followed by USC.

Paige (6-2, 170) was a commitment to Florida State at one time, but the four-star receiver has since backed off of that. Despite that, the Sterlington (LA) native took his visit to Tallahassee and came away impressed with some of the people and got some answers he was looking for.

“It went good,” he said about his official visit. “They answered a lot of my questions. I just wanted to know how the new coaching staff and players were going to fit.”

It was pretty much a typical trip for any all-star recruit. The Noles made sure he had a good time and showed him just what it would be like to be a football player at FSU.

“I got their Friday, we ate, and then took a look at a few of the facilities,” he said. “The next day we looked at the academics and facilities. Later on I hung out with some of the players and stuff.”

“Xavier Lee was my host. He was a cool guy. I asked him about Drew Weatherford and I thought he would say something bad and he didn’t. He only had positive things to say.”

The Noles have a new offensive coordinator in Jimbo Fisher and a new wide receiver coach in Lawrence Dawsey and Paige got more acquainted with both over the weekend.

“They made the decision to get Coach Fisher and feel that is the best for them,” Paige said. “One thing about him and Coach Dawsey, they are all about wining. That is all they talked about while I was there, winning.”

On the last day he met with Head Coach Bobby Bowden. He got a little more feel about where he would fit in the big scheme of things at Florida State.

“I met with Coach Bowden on the way out,” he said. “We talked about how they would use me and how he wasn’t planning on leaving and stuff like that.”

The previous Nole commitment has definitely opened the door back up on his recruitment. Florida State was not able to convince him to re-commit to be a Nole over the long weekend.

“I am open right now and just looking at everything,” Paige said when asked if he was committed anywhere.

This week Paige travels back to Gainesville and the University of Florida. His parents couldn’t make the trip to Tallahassee, but on this unofficial trip, Paige is bringing his parents specifically so they can see what it is like in Gainesville.

“I have seen everything, there isn’t much left,” Paige said about his previous official visit to Gainesville. “I am just coming down there so my parents can see it.”

Ahmad Paige is scheduled to visit Florida starting on January 19th and then is scheduled to make a trip to see USC where he is planning on going alone. Time will tell if he makes both trips.