Florida State football has received a verbal commitment from 2027 defensive lineman Eric Vaulx Jr. out of Lake Cormorant, Mississippi. The 6-foot-2.5, 265-pound prospect announced his decision early in the morning on May 31st, choosing the Seminoles over a list of Power Four programs that included SEC programs Missouri and Tennessee.
Vaulx is a three-star prospect on 247Sports, rated at 89 overall, which ranks him 49th among DL and 15th in Mississippi. He’s not a name you’ve been hearing everywhere just yet, but the production on film is hard to ignore. As a junior, Vaulx racked up 75 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, six sacks, a forced fumble, three fumble recoveries, and three blocked kicks across 12 games. That’s a disruptive player at every level of the game. And for context, his sophomore year (55 tackles, four TFL, three sacks in 10 games) shows this isn’t a one-year wonder. He’s been building toward this.
Vaulx officially visited Tallahassee on May 29th, and the connection with defensive line coach Terrance Knighton was central to the relationship throughout the process. Knighton and the staff drew comparisons between Vaulx and the Desir twins, who came into FSU as three-star edge rushers out of Norland, quickly becoming impact players before Mandrell earned freshman All-American honors with 6.5 sacks as a true freshman. The blueprint is there. The Desir twins showed what Knighton can do when he gets the right piece of clay to work with.
Schematically, Vaulx figures to be a versatile piece. He noted after his visit that FSU would likely move him around, playing inside and outside, and that his versatility fits well with their scheme. That’s exactly what you want to hear from a prospect at this stage. Big men who can play multiple spots are invaluable in modern college football, and FSU has shown a preference for that type of defensive lineman under this defensive staff.
Now, a word of caution, the recruitment isn’t completely locked down. Vaulx had official visits lined up with Missouri and Tennessee, and the decision on whether to cancel those visits is reportedly still being weighed. Tennessee had him scheduled for June 19th with Rodney Garner leading the Vols’ pursuit, and Missouri was set for June 12th. Those are legitimate programs with legitimate DL pedigrees. A verbal is a verbal, not a signature, and this one comes with a bit of a “trust but verify” caveat until he makes it to signing day.
That said, I like this pickup. He’s a realistic target, he’s got production that backs up the recruiting profile, and the upside is real. There’s a chance Vaulx adds a star before he ever signs, and if Knighton develops him the way the Desirs have been developed, FSU fans will be happy with this one.
Vaulx Jr. becomes the eighth overall commit and second defensive lineman in the Noles 40th ranked 2027 class. Stay tuned to your source for fan-focused FSU coverage here at Plant The Spear. Thanks for reading and Go Noles!