FSU football: 3-star 2023 LB DeMarco Ward commits to Noles

FSU football picked up their first 2023 linebacker commitment Tuesday when three-star DeMarco Ward announced his pledge to FSU.

The announcement came as no surprise, with Ward officially visiting the Noles over the weekend and tweeting he had a change of plans to announce a commitment Tuesday afternoon.

Ward holds 20 offers, with FSU football as the most distinguished, hailing from the Peach State in Duluth, Georgia. The Noles were the only school he has taken an official visit to. Ward ranks as the 1,193 player, No. 94 linebacker, and No. 105 player in Georgia.

Ward checks in at 6’2 and 217 pounds and plays in the 7A classification in Georgia, where he racked up 78 tackles (65 solo), three sacks, and an interception in his junior season.

He also plays basketball and runs track, posting 11.63 100-meter time and 17.21 100-meter hurdles this spring as a junior. His Hudle profile claims a 4.5 forty-yard dash, but that’s likely a hand-time measurement.

Impact

The addition moves FSU football from No. 49 to No. 43 nationally, and the first commitment from the official visitors list over the weekend.

Ward doesn’t jump out on the film as someone athletically superior(I think his 100-meter time explains that), but he seems to have good instincts and a knack for being around the ball. He’s not a hulking individual, so he might improve his ability to cover in space after getting into a college strength and conditioning program.

He’s ranked close to where UCF transfer Tatum Bethune was in high school, and Bethune has transformed into a productive college linebacker and arguably will be FSU’s best linebacker on the field in 2022.

Is it a product of finding a diamond in the rough? Possibly, but he plays at a high classification in Georgia, so I find it hard to believe he hasn’t caught the attention of larger schools yet. Either way, the Noles are on the board at a position they must address in the recruiting cycle. Welcome to Nolenation, DeMarco Ward!