Texas A&M steals big-time four-star safety recruit from Florida

Jordan Pride, a four-star safety recruit from Blountstown, Fla., seemed like a state of Florida recruit through and through.

Ranked as the No. 13 player in the state, per the 247Sports Composite, Pride was committed to Florida State for almost two years—from July 2021 to April 2023. Sure, he de-committed from the Seminoles, but even after that it seemed likely he'd stay in-state. The Florida Gators were hot on Pride's tracks, hosting him for multiple visits after their June 2022 offer.

But then came an offer from a coach well known in the state of Florida, Jimbo Fisher, and less than a year later a May 5 unofficial visit turned into a May 9 commitment to Texas A&M.

Pride is going to be rolling with the Aggies moving forward, and Texas A&M can thank a long-standing relationship he's had with Fisher for that.

“I was talking to Jimbo after the camp, and they offered me then,” the four-star recruit told On3. “My relationship with Jimbo goes way back to when I was 11-12 years old. I used to play baseball with his son, so that really played a factor in all of that and him recruiting me."

"We used to talk like every day back when I was playing baseball, and it just feels like home. I didn’t really have to build a relationship, it was already there.”

Having a strong relationship with a head coach can be pivotal for young players, especially when they're thinking about packing their things up and moving hundreds of miles away from their families. The more cynical recruiting fan may suggest that perhaps Pride doesn't have a great idea of what his college football home is or should be considering he had a long-time commitment to FSU and de-committed, but it's worth noting that he doesn't see any changes of heart happening anytime soon.

"I feel like I’ve really sealed the deal, and this is where I’m going," he explained. "I’m locked in this time, and there isn’t any changing this one.”

According to the 247Sports Composite Rankings, Pride is the No. 6 safety recruit in the 2024 class as well as the 84th-ranked player in the country.