This incoming junior landed an offer from the Seminoles and immediately became impressed by the new linebacker's coach.
Ernie Sims hit the ground running recruiting wise the moment he got elevated to Florida State linebackers coach.
Now he's made an early impression on one of the nation's fastest rising LBs for the 2028 class.
Georgia talent Jay Schell told Noles247 that he came away impressed by his interaction with Sims before landing the FSU offer.
"Coach Sims is awesome," Schell said. "I really enjoyed spending time with him today and seeing him and the guys get after it."
What message was Sims able to send toward Schell?
"The message I got was he is a coach who has walked in the exact shoes I want to and been the best at it, so he understands what it's like to be in the cleats and the way he coaches aligns with that to set his players up for the most success," Schell added.
But that wasn't the only aspect Schell liked about watching Sims work.
"I also was very impressed by the bond between his linebacker room," he mentioned. "I got the chance to pretty much talk to them all and they are all really good guys with the same mindset and that's to win. Coach said he wants guys with the same mindset and mentality and that was the case for sure."
Sims offered a talent armed with 25 scholarship offers and counting. Schell is currently unranked by 247Sports but the Rabun Gap-Nacoochee High star already has a list of SEC and Atlantic Coast Conference suitors on the offer front. Even FSU rival Florida is pursuing him with its offer. Meanwhile, On3/Rivals has Schell as an early three-star.
Schell isn't the first high-profile linebacker Sims is winning over.
Kaden Henderson took a liking to Sims recently. Henderson is the nation's No. 3 overall LB for 2027.
Coach Sims, he's doing a great job," Henderson said to Noles247 in February. "He's a relationship guy so we're just building that relationship. He's already been there so now he took on the linebacker coach role -- so I think that's a good thing for him. I'm happy for him. I love coach Sims."
Now it's a matter for Sims and FSU to lock in the talented LBs, especially Schell as his recruitment continues to explode.
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