Posted: Tue, 15 Mar 2011 12:00 AM - 15,286 Readers

By: Marshall Moore

Ryan defensive end Mario Edwards has committed to Florida State and has made his decision alot sooner than most people expected.

Edwards, of course, lit the world on fire this year and is rated across the board as one of the top DE prospects in the entire country. His decision to go to Florida State isn't all that surprising considering his dad's (Mario Edwards Sr., Ryan assistant coach and former Seminoles/Cowboys defensive back) ties to the school, but the timeframe is kind of surprising as Edwards had indicated that he'd wait until much later this year.

Edit: Just spoke with Mario Edwards Sr., who confirmed that his son did indeed commit to play for the Seminoles today. As you might have guessed, he's pretty excited for Mario Jr., who will wear his old No. 15 jersey in Tallahassee once he makes it down there.

Turns out, Edwards' dad was just as surprised by the decision as everyone else. From what I've seen, he's been very adamant about letting Edwards make his own decision throughout this process. It wasn't parental pressure. He grew up an FSU fan, obviously, and it just seems like he found a fit down in Florida. In Mario Sr.'s words:

"It was a surprise to me as well. I didn't know he was going to come down here and commit. Don't get me wrong -- I'm excited that he chose Florida State. But it was a surprise to me that he committed. I'm glad he did and now the process is over and he can focus on high school football and going back to school. I asked him why, I asked him 'are you sure?', and he says he knows exactly what he's doing and where he wants to be."

Edit No. 2: I just talked to Edwards himself, who cited two major reasons for his sudden commitment.

1. The family connection. Edwards grew up an FSU fan (go figure) and his dad has plenty of connections among the coaching staff up there.
   
   
2. Playing time. Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher and defensive coordinator Mark Stoops apparently stressed their need for defensive ends, and threw out the fact that Edwards could easily see a good deal of playing time (if not a starting job) immediately after hitting campus. If you've seen the guy play, it certainly doesn't take much imagination to see him making an impact right away -- even in the ACC.

So, there you have it. The hot recruiting story of the year, barring any twists, has come to a quick and sudden end. That make three Raiders, if you're counting, heading to major programs in 2012: Alex De La Torre (Texas), Jordan Richmond (Texas A&M) and Edwards.

*  Story Contributed by: Marshall Moore