The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

THE coaching staff chose not to redshirt him in his freshman season, but Bahamian gridiron star Mavin Saunders is still awaiting his opportunity to contribute on the field with the defending national champions.

Saunders returned to the practice field after being hampered recently by a nagging hamstring injury which kept him sidelined.

Following the Seminoles’ thrilling win over Notre Dame, Saunders was back and dressed on the practice field, taking full reps with his tight end group.

His No.2 Seminoles went on to defeat the Louisville Cardinals 42-31 last Thursday at Papa John’s Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky.

“Everything is going really well,” Saunders said. “Practice is going well, I’m improving on everything everyday and that’s what matters is to stay healthy and continue to get better. I’m continuing to get the second team reps on offence and most of the special teams so I’m being patient and continuing to work.

The 6’6” 252-pound true freshman tight end began his freshman season on the scout team.

Saunders is one of two freshmen at tight end that will join a group led by incumbent starter and “John Mackey Award” finalist Nick O’Leary.

In an interview with Brendan Sonnone of the Orlando Sentinel, Seminoles head coach Jimbo Fisher expressed his optimism at the growth of the newcomers at the position.

“Those two freshmen tight ends [Saunders and Ryan Izzo] are really catching my eye, I think they’re really good players,” Fisher said. “The last three to four years, we’ve had 14 freshmen All-Americans. That’s almost three to four a year and there’s only 22 in the whole country. If you come in ready and you’re ready to play, we’re willing to put you on the field.”

Saunders committed to Florida State during his junior season with the Kinkaid Falcons in Houston, Texans. He chose the Seminoles over Arkansas, Houston, Illinois, Michigan State, Mississippi State, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Texas Tech and Utah.

“There were a lot of positives about it,” Saunders said. “It’s close to home, and that was a major factor in my decision-making process.”

At Kinkaid, Saunders was rated a four-star prospect by 247Sports, ESPN and Scout, and a three-start recruit by Rivals. He was ranked the No.3 tight end in the country and No.23 player in Texas (No. 187 player overall) by 247Sports, was rated the No. 7 tight end and No. 45 player in Texas by ESPN, ranked the No. 14 tight end and No. 32 player in Texas by Rivals and Scout’s No. 9 tight end prospect.

As a junior he had 40 catches for 590 yards and six touchdowns and in his senior season he caught 35 receptions for 468 yards and eight touchdowns.

Saunders joined the Frank Rutherford Foundation Programme in Houston in 2009 as a basketball recruit and played the sport until his junior season when he made the transition to football.

The decision to pursue a career on the gridiron full-time has paid great dividends for Saunders as he joins an elite NCAA programme. He joins a list of Bahamian football players at FSU that includes Kamari Charlton, Devard Darling, the late Devaughn Darling and Myron Rolle.